Initiative to end public toilet crisis for women in Dhaka

With fast economic growth urbanization in Bangladesh is faster than ever. Among many other, scarcity of public toilet is huge challenge in cities especially for women. Our business focusing on women, is working to ensure hygienic and secure public toilets. Land and financial crisis, inefficient design and poor management has been a great challenge for  Gov. to provide adequate and quality public toilet service. Bhumijo started off by transforming an existing facility to a women only facility at one of the busiest shopping hubs of dhaka. Currently we are providing complete public toilet solution including i) Research, Planning and design ii) Construction iii) Maintenance.

Due to the lack of public toilets in cities of Bangladesh, women usually drink less water and delay voiding which is a major cause of health problems such as UTIs and kidney diseases. 61% of patients with UTIs give a history of regular, voluntary deferral for periods of 1 hour to 6 hours. So voluntary urinary retention plays an important pathogenic role in women, causing recurrent UTIs. Women often don't use the existing public toilet because of unhygienic and insecure environment. Government agencies like city corporations are not able to meet the demand with their conventional model for public toilet because of land scarcity, high budget and long bureaucratic process. The currently available models of public toilets also fail to maintain a clean, hygienic and secure environment in most cases. Focusing on women we create secure, hygienic and clean public toilets, by choosing the right location, better design and  efficient maintenance 

In recent years Dhaka City Corporations along with some NGO’s like Water Aid, Arban have started building new and repairing existing public toilets. There is a plan for setting up 100 more by the year 2017. (Thethirdpole, 2016). Till now 19 toilets are in operation at Dhaka. Which is a very small supply against the huge population of 5.5 million (WaterAid, 2011) on street everyday. Besides there is huge demand of public toilet throughout the country. We have two different customer segment  i)People who need to use toilet during their need, 11) govt. or corporate agencies who need to build/ design/ maintain their toilet.  

Addressing the problem of adequate and clean public toilet in Dhaka and other cities We provide complete Public Toilet Services including Planning, Design, Research, Construction and Maintenance. Bhumijo believes that, only infrastructure development is not enough. Better management and business models are key to sustainability. By selecting the right location for public toilet we ensure the usability. Appropriate design with right material and techniques can create better ambience and ease maintenance at the same time. Bhumijo toilet offers a range of services including sanitary napkin to diaper change are catering special needs of women. We work on operation and business plan to make the facilities business wise viable for long term sustainability. Besides, we also conduct research on sanitation condition, user behavior and demand, construction techniques etc. We bond with the local community from an early stage of the project and integrate them with operation. Through better construction management we ensure timely delivery and quality as per design. Our service includes both full maintenance and partial maintenance supervision. Full maintenance services includes cleaning, staff management, repair, accounts management, data collection, environmental quality check etc. Partial maintenance supervision includes periodic quality check and improvement planning.

There are no private sector initiative in Bangladesh who are addressing the same problem. However there are architects, engineers and planners who are working in the research, planning and design segment. Without association with maintenance challenges most of the professionals  lack in comprehensive knowledge about public toilets. In construction sector we have competition with government listed contractors who has long relations with the agencies. The contractors also lack technical knowledge about public toilets. In maintenance our competition is with local operators who take public toilet as lease from authorities. The local operators make good profit from the public toilets. But in most cases without proper knowledge on maintenance and willingness they fail to maintain better quality. The cleaning companies are responsible for cleaning the facilities but the usually don't take the full management responsibility. There are NGOs who are working in the sector but the outsource the design, construction and maintenance services, so they are more like clients and partners for us.

Using right locations we ensure that. Appropriate design with right material and techniques can ease maintenance. We bond with the local community from an early stage of the project and integrate them with operation. We do events and campaigns making people aware about hygiene and sanitation.

Using our location selection matrix we finds the locations in a city, where public toilets are most needed. The facilities are designed using human centered design methods we incorporate local needs and practices. Innovative architectural ideas helps us to create better ambiance using appropriate techniques and materials. Through better planning and design we make sure the facilities are comfortable and inclusive for women, children, third genders and differently able people. Bhumijo toilet offers a range of services including sanitary napkin to diaper change are catering special needs of women. We provide operation and business plan to make the facilities business wise viable for long term sustainability. Besides, we also conduct research on sanitation condition, user behavior and demand, construction techniques etc.

We are also in process of using sensor based technology for maintenance ( like sensors, AI technology. But still, according to our context we haven't found it as a affordable solution. 

In last 21 months, initiative has gained remarkable traction in social media and most importantly, toilet users have raved about their experience of using this toilet facility. With great maintenance  to ensure hygiene, the facility has been in operation for the last 21 months. Till then Bhumijo’s toilet has been used 80K times,Among them sales girls, garments worker who are basically with low income has been served for free.The transformation was done with less cost and quicker time than available solutions. The business model is self sustainable within this short period of time. This place has become a place of comfort and relaxation in the whole area. As, there was not any proper toilet in the area, this toilet has been a place of pride for the whole community. Besides customer satisfaction, this toilet facility has tied up the community with a sense of belonging and helping them to understand the necessity of healthy life.  The initiative has gained attention from government and non-government agencies through various seminars, news publications and events. City corporations have contacted Bhumijo after learning about this innovative model, and Bhumijo is working with 3 city corporations to design their proposed toilets. Inspired by women only toilet facility, male staff members of Nur mansion market feel the need of good toilet facility for men and now there is a new toilet facility being built in the same market designed by Bhumijo exclusive for male members.

 With great maintenance  to ensure hygiene, the facility has been in operation for the last 21 months. Till then Bhumijo’s pilot toilet has been used 80K times.Through our two toilets we have already served 100K times. Within next month our community toilet at Kalyanpur slum and Two toilets at Narayanganj city corporation will be open through which we are expecting to serve at least 500k times. From next month We will also be in charge of operation and maintenance of three toilets built by water aid  in Dhaka North city corporation. Our projected user of those toilet would be 500K.In next five year, operating in five major cities, Bhumijo targets to build 250 toilets (design and construction),  Design 250 toilets and Maintain 250 toilets. Through all those toilets our plan is to serve 130million people. 

After successful implementation of the first pilot, the public toilet project is in the process for scaling up. Building a few more (10-15) facilities with Dhaka North City Corporation is under discussion. As per current business model, we are providing various services like Toilet design , construction and management, Toilet maintenance. As per the projections, Bhumijo aims to create 40-50 public toilets in Dhaka in the next two years. We are aiming  to provide 30-40 healthy and hygienic toilet maintenance service by this time. Requests have already been received from other cities like Chittagong, Narayanganj and Rangpur to develop the same model. End of this year we have a target to expand our services all of the country. In next five year, operating in five major cities, Bhumijo targets to build 250 toilets (design and construction),  Design 250 toilets and Maintain 250 toilets. 

The demand of public toilets is growing. One of the major challenges to scale up this business is long bureaucratic process, specially when it needs to be done in public private partnership model. Bribery from govt. Officials and extortion from muscle man is a common problem during construction and operation. Both public agency and corporates are not aware of design rights. In most cases the clients pay for only one design and then copy the same design to other site without informing us.  Though it's a public service, the utility bill ( water and electricity bill) for public toilet are charged at commercial rate. There is a need for strong advocacy in policy changes for reduced rate which would be very much helpful for business sustainability. Partners of Toilet board coalition can help in this regard. Pilferage is one of the key challenges for our business sustainability. Other problem is there is a need for onsite solution to manage FSM in public scale. The available affordable technology can not solve this issue for mass scale.

The support for using appropriate and affordable technology to reduce pilferage is much needed. Research and development of affordable technology can be very helpful. Besides, networking support through various partners would be helpful to gather experience. As there is a need for strong advocacy in policy and behavioral changes which would be very much helpful for business sustainability. 

Planing, design and construction: 4

Operation: 4 (Toilet attendant : 1, Toilet Supervisor:1 , Volunteer: 2)

This initiative need less cost and quicker time than available solutions. Besides customer satisfaction, this toilet facility has tied up the community with a sense of belongingness and helping them to understand the necessity of healthy life.Bhumijo’s professionalism in conducting the market research, designing the infrastructure, and spending the seed-funding strategically has been highly appreciated by BRAC. The initiative has gained attention from government and non-government agencies through various seminars, news publications and events. City corporations have contacted Bhumijo after learning about this innovative model, and Bhumijo is working with Dhaka South city corporation, Dhaka North City corporation and Narayanganj City corporation)  to design and maintain their toilets. Inspired by women only toilet facility Nur mansion market feel the need of good toilet facility for men and build a new one. All have been possible with our core team of various background, supported by a group of volunteers and global advisers. Cofounder and CEO Farhana Rashid, did her bachelor’s degree in Architecture from BUET, Bangladesh and Master’s in Sustainable Urban Planning and Design from KTH, Stockholm. Cofounder and chief designer Md Masudul Islam, another co-founder completed bachelor’s in Architecture at BUET, Bangladesh and master’s in Urban Design at the University of Hong Kong. He contributes to planning and design, business model development, construction management etc.Mr KAM Morshed, BRAC Director (Social Change, ICT and Partnership) as advisor is guiding us in business and marketing strategy development. Beside him BRAC's Social Innovation Team is helping us in exploring partnership opportunities.

Currently there is no proper sanitation management company in Bangladesh which provides a full range of service like Bhumijo. We are working with three city corporation, one discismossionaers office where we are giving construxtion, design and mantenace support also we are adocating them for better toilet management. With the CSR funding  from private business like Unilever, IPDC we are building and renovating  few major locations. From working with city corporations to global corporates to iNGO’s, Bhumijo is expanding its portfolio working with different partners.BRAC has done equity investement in Bhumijo and Brac is also supporting us in business development.

With fast economic growth urbanization in Bangladesh is faster than ever. Among many other, scarcity of public toilet is huge challenge in cities especially for women. Our business focusing on women, is working to ensure hygienic and secure public toilets. Land and financial crisis, inefficient design and poor management has been a great challenge for  Gov. to provide adequate and quality public toilet service. Bhumijo started off by transforming an existing facility to a women only facility at one of the busiest shopping hubs of Dhaka. Bhumijo business solutions includes i) Planning and design of public toilet ii) Construction iii) Maintenance, iv) product placement. Currently there is no proper sanitation management company  in Bangladesh which provides a full range of service like Bhumijo. We are working with both govt. and private agency who need to build, design and maintain their toilet.

We have built our first pilot with the seed funding from brac. The seed funding was mostly used to refurbish the existing underutilized facility. The facility has pay per use and subscription fee as sources of revenue, few small amount also comes from selling sanitary napkins, water bottles , diaper etc . After the first pilot, being engaged by government and private Bhumijo has revenue from the construction works and consultancy fees for research, planning and design works. We also receive management fee for the operation and maintenance of public toilet. After 1st year of operation Bhumijo has received an equity investment from BRAC for scale up of the business. We have received a grant from swedish institute for inclusive sanitation campaign. As funding source Bhumijo has received 75% from investment, 22% from revenues and 3% grant.