Market Assessment of Fecal Sludge Providers in Douala, Cameroon

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WSH) Program awarded DIG a contract to assess the fecal sludge value chain in Douala, Cameroon and identify areas for market improvement. DIG assessed the fecal sludge management market by examining the demand for services among the poor and their ability to pay, as well as the availability and quality of the services offered. In addition, DIG identified potential investment entry points for the foundation and proposed possible partners. To accomplish this work, DIG consulted over 40 sanitation sector stakeholders in Cameroon operating in government, the private sector, civil society, and informal settlements. DIG also conducted an extensive literature review to buttress its findings from the field, and delivered its synthesized conclusions and recommendations to the Gates Foundation’s WSH Program. (2011)