Arusha — Residents of a slum area in Sakina , west of the municipality who for a long time had no access to toilets are now proud owners of facilities built through the help of the Rotary Club of Arusha.

The facilities launched by the Chairman of the Club Dr. Godfrey Chamba on February 4 will be under the supervision of Rotary Community Corps who will collect users fees for maintenance and cleanliness. The community corps is composed of residents of the slum who are beneficiaries of the toilets and bathrooms.

The facilities will serve 25 families which previously used plastic bags, famous by the name of Rambo, as toilets and subsequently dumped them near their houses or on roadsides. The facilities cost Tsh.2.3 million, an amount raised by members of the club.

The Rotary Club of Arusha secretary, Walter Maeda told residents of the area that members of the club were very much concerned with the health of the residents especially when they lacked crucial services such as toilet facilities.

He said sprawling slum areas in Arusha were now a major problem in view of the fact that many people are migrating to the urban areas to seek jobs or conduct petty trade and find themselves living in shacks without basic facilities or social services.