Hello everyone,
Jess here with iDE-Bangladesh's WASH team. We have pretty extensive experience with the SaTo pan and are really proud of the way the SaTo was co-developed by ASB and iDE using human centred design principles. You can find the story of the partnership here: designexpo.businessfightspoverty.org/sho...ed-from-safe-toilet/

We have been developing the market around SaTo pans for about 2.5 years now in Bangladesh and I would say we have learned two main things:
1. Subsidies can be done in a way that don't distort the market, but organizations need to think about this from the start. If this isn't thought about before hand it does create market distortions and leaves dealers (who ensure the sustainability of the supply chain) out of the loop. My recommendation is: remember the dealers

2. The value of such a latrine is not inherent to all consumers. the 'tak' sound when the flap closes can be seen as a negative to many consumers, but by turning this to the 'sound of assurance' one is able to convince people of the benefit of a working water seal.


Two design notes to be aware of:
1. Cement should only be filled to the fill line in the cement cup. This is to reduce the sound, but also is the weighted amount from the final design. Most people fill it up to the brim

2. The SaTo can be used on non-cement slabs as we have pilot in a UNICEF funded project SanMark SEAMS in the hill track areas in Bangladesh. If you want some details feel free to contact me.

Thank you very much - one of the stronger empirical "advertisements" I have seen for the Sato Pan. Thank you very much for sharing.

Simple examples like this really help!

Arjen

I was recently in Kampala looking at some installed Sato-pan and came across a two stance latrine block, one stance fitted with a Sato pan and the other covered with a wood plate. The difference in the number of flies on the walls was amazing. See for yourself in attached document.

Hi Arjen - i'm going to put you in touch with our sanitation solutions in Uganda who are racing ahead with this. For us, we list a BoQ for now but its up the customer to find the requirements for as cheap as possible.

Hi Nicola,

Could you share with this group the itemised bill of quantity - and the recommended selling price in US?

Thanks

Krischan - do you market this latrine as a full product with fixed cost?

We've been wondering about 'productising' latrine superstructures, but I've been warned that the cost all at once is a bit much...hence we take the approach where we sell the BoQ, not the finished product. This allows people time to gather then money to purchase, and then we produce on site. I would love to have some fixed bamboo frames as you do though and sell it as a product.

Nicola

At Water for People Malawi we have the original SatoPan from Bangladesh. Our primary issue with this one is that the counterweight cup is too large - thus if the installers fill this to the brim (As per the enclosed instructions) it takes a very large 'deposit' to make the pan flush. So we have to be very careful with all of installers that they know only to fill it to approx one third full - this is a difficult message to get to everyone and we are nervous that poorly installed Sato's will get the product a bad name (I believe the Uganda produced product is different).

Our other big learning point has been about the amount of money that must be spent on marketing. Naively, we underestimated the manpower/marketing required to bring a new product to market.

We find that purchasers in Malawi are drawn in by the cleanliness aspect of the technology, and after a few months of use, cite the reduction in flies as the primary benefit. I'm attaching our marketing flyer in English. Sanitation Solutions in Uganda have also produced nice marketing materials and revised installation guides.

The primary marketing issue is that is so new that it's pretty hard to explain on paper what it is....however, walking around town with one draws a lot of attention!

Here in the Philippines, UNICEF has gotten a rather large donation of the SaTo pans from American Standards after Typhoon Haiyan and one of their partners has been installing them in rural areas (But I don't know further details). See attached design description cut from their larger technology options document.

Dear Arjen,
That's a great idea, thanks for starting this new thread.
The SaTo pan seems to be pretty popular in Uganda, see e.g. the post by Sherina Munyana here . She wrote:

The SaTo pan has proven to be a really popular product for latrine improvement - both in terms of affordability and the benefits of making a latrine more hygienic, free from flies and safe for children. Since October 2014, SSG has sold over 2700 pans. SSG is identifying strategic partners through whom to distribute the pans both in the rural and urban areas which will help to achieve wider scale and impact.

More information about all our products and services can be found on our website www.sanitationsolutionsgroup.com

I also had a chat with Lillian Nabasirye from Uganda at the recent WEDC conference about the SaTo pan. She said she was surprised at how popular they have become with rural people. I have just sent Lillian an e-mail and encouraged her to describe her experiences here on the forum.

I thought that the flap might get soiled quite badly with faeces quite quickly but apparently not so. Either because it is so light that it flaps back at the slightest of weight being added on it. Or because the flushing with water afterwards really helps to keep it clean? (mind you, I would expect that a brush would be needed, too?) Or because the surface is completely non-stick (and some water remains on the flap even when it's closed?)?

Does anyone have photos or videos of a SaTo pan after 12 months of use? What if the users don't use any flushing water with it? How long is it meant to last before a replacement is neeed?

Regards,
Elisabeth

Dear all,

The Sato Pan is being rolled out in many countries and we are all getting experiences in using them. However, I have been missing a forum/topic to discuss practical and technical tips on installing the SaTo pan.* Therefore, I have opened this topic and would like to start by looking for answers for the following:


1) Any experiences to make the slab using any other material than cement (planks?)

2) Can an off-set pit be used with SatoPan? Any experiences with this?

3) Has anybody tried to install them in smaller square slabs produced?

For your information, WaterAid has made a video on how to install a SaTo pan, but we still are looking for answers of the above.



Feel free to add your own questions, share technical manuals and provide answers!

Thank you,

Arjen Naafs
South Asia Regional Technical Advisor WaterAid


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* Note by moderator: Another thread about the SaTo pan (describing some funding by the Gates Foundation) is available here:
forum.susana.org/forum/categories/106-us...and-water-for-people
and here in Uganda:
forum.susana.org/forum/categories/87-new...tion-of-susana#13251