Kaloola – BORDA

Investing in Impact

P4G awarded the partnership about US $370,000 in grant funding. 

Kaloola is a brand launched by Loowatt Africa and Khansiya Projects. It is the trading name of Loowatt Africa, which is a subsidiary company of Loowatt Ltd (UK). Kaloola provides high-quality clean and odor-free toilets for customers in the metro Durban area in neighborhoods that lack adequate access to safe sanitation. The toilets use patented flush technology that is water- and chemical-free. The toilet seals waste into a container transported to a local waste processing facility. The processed waste can be turned into organic fertilizer or biogas. BORDA and Kaloola worked in partnership with eThekwini Municipality-Water and Sanitation, the local utility with a shared goal for increased adoption of circular economy, decentralized waste treatment systems. 

Kaloola operates in eThekwini which has more than 300,000 low-income households who lack access to safe sanitation. Some households can access publicly financed shared toilets, shared chemical toilets, or pit latrines, but they are not cleaned with regularity. 

Kaloola’s customer base in Durban comprises these two segments:

• Households where Kalula will install and service home toilets for a monthly service fee
• Commercial locations such as construction sites and events where Kalula will provide companies with toilet trailers or single toilet cabins for a monthly rental. 

In 2024, Kaloola focused on strengthening its supply chain for toilet production and waste processing. The startup formalized relationships with local suppliers to ensure the seamless delivery of toilet materials such as polymer refills. 

Gender equity continued to be a priority, with the startup reporting that more than 50% of its workforce is female and 60% of the toilet users were women and girls. The startup’s executive team also had 40% female representation. 

Key successes

• Achieved BBBEE status conferred on qualifying small businesses with majority or full Black ownership
• Sourced raw materials and build structures using local companies
• Planning the construction of a waste-to-biochar decentralized treatment facility
• Positively affected almost 1,000 people because of the solution 

Kaloola took steps to de-risk its business model by diversifying its audience to both individual customers and businesses. A key learning was that that path to commercial viability was through a B2C model and the commercial hire business instead of toilets for public housing where there is a greater barrier to entry and safety concerns for field staff. Kaloola focused its services on trailer toilets for events and festivals. These presented high margin potential and supported the overall impact goals of sustainable waste management. 

During the grant period, Loowatt Africa registered Kaloola Home a nonprofit organization to facilitate raising of additional sources of financing for service expansion). 

The startup won the award for Best Green Economy Startup at the AfricArena tech accelerator event and pitched its business model at the grand finale to be held in Cape Town in December 2024. The startup was also featured in AfricArena’s Wired outlet sharing the potential, successes and pitfalls it has faced to date. 

Bremen Overseas Research Development Association (BORDA) is a global non-profit organization that specializes in providing sustainable environmental solutions, including Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Systems (DEWATS) and Faecal Sludge Treatment Plants (FSTPs) in over 25 countries and with more than 3,000 constructed systems to-date. BORDA brought significant experience in engaging with governments on safe water and sanitation access to the partnership. It led on the circular economy waste treatment ambitions of the partnership and worked to foster partnerships with local waste processing facilities. It also led on enabling environment interventions regarding waste collection and processing standards and processing. BORDA also supported monitoring, learning and evaluation and shared best practices on feasibility and treatment options for container-based sanitation. 

The partnership developed two knowledge products during the grant period:

• Case study on the Kaloola Business Model
• Policy brief with recommendations for scaling container-based sanitation 

The partnership comprised the following partners: Loowatt Africa (Kaloola)lead business partner; Bremen Overseas Research and Development Association (BORDA) (lead administrative partner); Khansiya Projects; Loowatt Ltd.; eThewkini Municipality-Water and Sanitation; University of KwaZulu-Natal-UKZN.