At most events, guests move between tents and vendor stands sampling food, shopping and networking. Few pause to think about toilets until the moment they need one. And when they do, the experience can be less than ideal: long queues, unpleasant smells, and units that feel like an afterthought.
At a quarter-acre yard on the outskirts of Karen in Nairobi, neatly arranged container toilets sit cleaned and ready, waiting to be dispatched to concerts, weddings, meetings and conferences. This is where Jara Sanitation provides convenient, efficient toilet services on the go.
After her studies at Cardiff University in the UK, Kawira Jara, the company’s co-director, returned home to work as a yoga teacher, but the pay, she says, ‘was not enough to cater for my needs.’
Armed with a degree in business management, she left teaching and planned to join her mother’s event company at the beginning of 2024.
‘I was going to start working at her company. But I would always hear her complaining about the toilets so much, either they were not clean, or they were full. That’s when the idea of bringing toilets to events came, ‘says Ms Kawira.
Initially, the idea was to import units from China or South Africa. ‘But then they were so expensive. I thought, how about we make our own?’
She had seen container toilets before, but they were permanent installations. There was little information online about how to build a portable container toilet. She saw this as the market gap around which she would structure her business.
Ms Kawira knew a thing or two about containers seeing that her mum had converted a container into a bar for her events business. Her father had also experimented with building a container house. It didn’t take her long to get her first two toilets. She hired two employees and got down to business.
Today, she has four permanent workers and 12 casual workers who come on a regular basis and are fully trained.
‘Toilets are such an essential service. People always think of food, the tents, where you are going to sit, but when it comes to toilets, it’s the least planned in any event,’ she says.
Jara’s container toilets are made from EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) panels, decorated with colourful art wallpapers, and fitted with stainless steel septic tanks underneath. Stainless steel, she notes, ensures the tanks do not smell. Each tank is cleaned and emptied after every event.
The units are divided for regular users, VIPs, and persons with mobility needs, including ramps for wheelchair users.
Where children are present, there are separate toilets fitted with potties and baby-changing stations.
Outside, the toilets sit on turf grass carpet, not just for aesthetics, but also to prevent dust or mud in case of rain. Several hand-washing points complete the setup. ‘My goal was to be able to provide clean toilets for a big number of people,’ she says. ‘I wanted people to feel comfortable and have a nice experience.’
Currently, Ms Kawira owns eight containers, each built in a different design, with a combined capacity to serve up to 5,000 people in a single event.
One twenty-foot container holds up to six toilets, three on each side.
Behind the clean experience is a surprisingly heavy operational bill.
Sh5 million cost
‘One container costs between Sh300,000 and Sh400,000. The partitioning is what costs a lot. For one container with six toilets, the cost is roughly Sh5 million.’
This cost covers everything, from the designer, engineer, plumber, electrician, welder, and contractor.
The investment allows her to earn decently from her venture.
‘ For one container, serving around 500 people, we charge Sh120,000 per day (24 hours).’
Moving the toilets requires a truck fitted with cranes to lift and lower containers safely. ‘Transporting the toilets can cost between Sh40,000 to Sh50,00 per trip, depending on the location.’
Transport was the biggest blind spot at the start. ‘I did not do research on that. I only found out the day I was transporting the finished product,’ she admits.
Other teething problems included breakages, mirrors and water pipes broke after being mishandled especially on transit. To deal with this, Ms Kawira built a team that would fix such issues on site.
Scaling up
It is common for many start-ups in Kenya to face difficulty in scaling beyond the survival stage. Ms Kawira says her hack was tapping into her networks and excellent customer service.
‘Having a good relationship with my clients, and just delivering what I’ve promised is very important to me,’ she says.
For her, that is how repeat business is secured, especially in a market where experience matters more than price. With high demands on weekends and during festive seasons, the biggest planning mistake she has observed in events is underestimating crowds.
‘You have 10,000 people, I can’t give you 20 toilets because they will fill up quick and get smelly, not to mention the long queues. I am always keen to advise the client, we work with the numbers.’
Most of her clients tend to be event organisers who care about experience. ‘Instagram is my marketing platform. I know how to make engaging content and how to sell the content.’
Biggest lessons
Although the business is barely two years old, Ms Kawira is proud of the progress made and lessons learned.
‘The biggest lessons are on the need to do proper research and also don’t be afraid to seek support. If you have somebody who believes in what you’re doing, and you have somebody who sees the vision, and you have people in the industry you’re trying to get into, don’t be afraid to ask for help.’
While events remain her core market, she is hoping to expand her clientele, exploring outdoor events such as sports and public spaces.
Ms Kawira admits that working with her mother, who is also a partner in the business, has been of great value to her entrepreneurial journey. From her mum’s experience, she has learned to value her business, a tip she shares with others who are thinking of a start-up.
‘Know the worth of what you’re giving. Don’t compromise on that.’