Formalizing Manual Pit Emptying in Mzuzu, Malawi

Across sub-Saharan Africa, most urban residents rely on non-sewered sanitation. In secondary cities such as Mzuzu, Malawi, pit latrines are frequently emptied by hand by self-employed workers (“gulpers”) who operate with limited governmental recognition, training, or personal protective equipment. This poster presents a seven-month longitudinal case study (April–October 2026) of the emerging organization and formalization of the Mzuzu City Gulpers (MCG), a collaborative process linking informal sanitation workers, academic researchers, a national pit emptiers’ association, and local government. Drawing on interviews, service ride-alongs, participant observation, and workshops, it examines how multi-stakeholder collaboration supported changes in professional recognition, working conditions, and prospects for safe disposal — and what constrained them. Formalization improved safety, organizational identity, and recognition, but did not resolve the cost and logistics of transporting sludge to treatment. The study affirms the value of collaboration in global health while showing that, without sustained investment in sanitation infrastructure, even strong partnerships cannot ensure safe disposal. Poster presented at the Geneva Health Forum 2026, Geneva, Switzerland, 10–12 November 2026.