Kenya joined the rest of the world in marking this year’s World Toilet Day with a hygiene campaign in Nairobi County led by Reckitt, the manufacturer of the Harpic brand used for toilet and bathroom cleaning.
In the celebrations held on 19th November,Harpic partnered with the Nairobi County Government to promote the importance of clean and well-maintained public toilets, with the celebrations being held at the Dagoretti Deputy County Commissioner’s office, where Reckitt demonstrated proper cleaning practices for shared and high-traffic public toilets in markets and other busy areas.
They used the day to highlight their expanded efforts to improve sanitation in informal settlements, in line with the 2025 theme, “We’ll Always Need the Toilet.” As part of these initiatives, the brand has sponsored the installation of eco-toilet units in Kisumu’s Nyalenda informal settlement, in partnership with Saniwise Technology, a social business within the Reckitt Catalyst Initiative.
The first six units are already operational, with five more underway. The eco-toilets are designed for long-term sustainability, featuring proper waste management systems and high hygiene standards.
The project also includes a hygiene education programme for schools in Nyalenda to encourage children to adopt lifelong sanitation habits and influence positive hygiene behaviour at home.
In addition, Community Health Promoters (CHPs) are being trained to conduct household visits and offer families practical guidance on improving sanitation and maintaining cleaner environments.
Through Harpic, Reckitt aims to drive sustainable behaviour change while supporting environmentally responsible sanitation infrastructure.
To date, Harpic has constructed more than 190 toilets in informal settlements across Kenya and, for the past eight years, has run a nationwide door-to-door programme that teaches good sanitation habits and improves access to Harpic products through discounted sales.
In Nairobi, Harpic led a community clean-up and distributed products to help residents keep their facilities clean and protect themselves from sanitation-related diseases.
“We are delighted to take part in this year’s World Toilet Day here in Dagoretti. As champions of toilet hygiene, it is encouraging to see community members eager to learn how to keep their toilets clean and safeguard their health,” said Mustapha Bugaje, Country Manager, Reckitt Kenya.
“This year’s theme truly reflects what Harpic stands for. Toilets are essential for everyone, everywhere. Sanitation is crucial for public health, dignity and environmental protection — but it only works when facilities are kept hygienic, and that is where Harpic plays an important role.”
World Toilet Day is a United Nations observance that calls for urgent action to address the global sanitation crisis and accelerate progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030. This year’s theme underscores that safe, affordable and sustainable sanitation is a basic human right.
In Nairobi and other major towns, many residents — especially those living in informal settlements — rely on shared toilets used by several households.
Limited access to clean, safe facilities puts them at risk of diseases linked to poor sanitation.
According to the WHO, 3.4 billion people still lack safely managed sanitation services, placing them at greater risk of illnesses such as cholera, typhoid, intestinal worms and hepatitis B.
Only 58% of the global population currently uses safely managed sanitation systems that ensure proper waste disposal or treatment.
