100PhDs for Africa - Focus on Lou Tinan Ange-Laetitia TRA
Lou Tinan Ange-Laetitia TRA during her stay at EPFL in March 2024 - © 2024 EXAF/EPFL
We are proud to present the outstanding work of Lou Tinan Ange-Laetitia TRA, a member of the first cohort of 100PhDsforAfrica. Her innovative study makes a significant contribution to our understanding of health and environmental issues in urban Africa, illustrating the excellence of our PhD students' research and their impact on improving the living conditions of vulnerable populations.
Lou Tinan Ange-Laetitia TRA (Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire / Université Félix-Houphouët-Boigny) has published a study on the determinants of household choices concerning the emptying of faecal sludge in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. Conducted in Yopougon, the study involved 559 households and 24 interviews, revealing that almost 48% of respondents adopted unsanitary practices, such as dumping sludge directly into gutters.
The study highlighted several factors influencing these practices, such as income, home ownership and proximity to a body of water. Households near gutters were more likely to adopt unsafe methods. These results offer clues to a better understanding of faecal sludge management behaviour and the socio-economic impact on public health.
Recommendations from this research include strengthening regulations, raising public awareness of the benefits of hygienic sanitation practices, and subsidising interventions for low-income households.
Her PhD is supervised by Dongo Kouassi (CSRS / UFHB) and Dr Jérôme Chenal (EPFL).
To discover the full study.
100PhDs for Africa is a programme stemming from the Excellence for Africa initiative run jointly by Mohammed IV Polytechnic University in Morocco and EPFL.