Innovators Spotlight: Dr Dudley Jackson

One common thing everyone dreads is a dirty, stinking toilet, and in this part of the globe, they are abundant. As I write this, my mind flashes back to my days in the great University of Benin Hall 4 Hostel. The school management tried to keep the hall of residence neat and tidy and even employed staff to tend to it every morning. But regardless, by dusk, it was messed up again, with some students making the situation even worse by defecating on the floor. For me, I usually targeted a specific time after the cleaners had finished their work before bravely venturing inside to refresh myself. The cleaners didn’t come on weekends, so the hall would be stinking all through that period, and the toilet was a no-go area. The situation was heightened if we had power and water issues because even the air you breathed became contaminated.?

Introduction

This week Innovators spotlight is on Dr Dudley Jackson, Co-founder and board member of Pennine Energy Innovation, the Manufacturer of savvyloo, waterless toilets intended to offer community sanitation in rural areas of Africa. The company's waterless desiccating toilet is designed to separate toilet fluids from solids and dry solids using condensed sunlight and heat to dry the waste and kill pathogens that cause disease and odor, providing people with clean and hygienic toilets while protecting the community's health.

Brief Biography and Career Journey

Dr. Dudley Jackson has had a distinguished career spanning academia, entrepreneurship, and corporate leadership roles. With a strong educational foundation, including a Bachelor's in Economics from Rhodes University, a Master of Business Leadership and a Doctorate in Business Leadership from UNISA's Graduate School of Business, as well as specialized training in Project Management from GIBS, Dr. Jackson has combined theoretical knowledge with practical experience.

In the entrepreneurial realm, he co-founded Pennine Energy Innovation in 2011, a company that holds the usufruct agreement to develop the innovative SavvyLoo waterless desiccating toilet. Additionally, he is a Partner at Siyavuma Healthcare Consultants, an accredited healthcare intermediary providing healthcare services, and serves as an external Compliance Officer accredited with the Financial Sector Conduct Authority.??

Dr. Jackson's corporate experience includes serving as a director and shareholder of GasWeld Technologies, an Afrox PartnerNet company from 2007 to 2009. Prior to that, he held the position of Executive Manager at Productivity SA from 1985 to 2007, while simultaneously acting as a Contract Lecturer at UNISA's Graduate School of Business from 1993 to 1997. Earlier in his career, he was the Director of Schachat Cullum, a listed group of construction companies.

Dr. Jackson's academic achievements are complemented by his professional certifications, including being a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) with the international Institute of Management Consultants (IMC) and a member of the local IMC(SA). His doctorate focused on the field of productivity accounting, further solidifying his expertise in business and management.

About Savvyloo

SavvyLoo is piloting a waterless sanitation solution for rural communities and temporary settlements, potentially across Africa. It separates urine and desiccate faeces in three to five days to a dry bio-waste, which is easy to transport and convert to energy using gasifier systems.

SavvyLoo affords users with a hygienic alternative to pit latrines, chemical and composting toilets, eliminating compost and sludge. It is easy to use and maintain and protects users from pathogens and odours.

Impact on Communities

The implementation of SavvyLoo in various rural areas has shown substantial benefits:

• Improved Health: SavvyLoo's innovative design effectively eliminates pathogens responsible for spreading diseases, such as cholera, typhoid, and diarrhea. By reducing odours, it also minimizes the attraction of disease-carrying insects like flies. This results in a significant decrease in sanitation-related illnesses, leading to a healthier community.
• Water Conservation: SavvyLoo's waterless technology addresses the critical issue of water scarcity in many regions. Traditional toilets consume a substantial amount of water, exacerbating water shortages. By eliminating the need for water, SavvyLoo conserves this precious resource, allowing it to be utilized for drinking, cooking, and other essential needs, thus improving the overall quality of life.
• Community Hygiene: The presence of a reliable and sanitary toilet system like SavvyLoo promotes better hygiene practices within the community. It reduces open defecation and the contamination of water sources, leading to a cleaner and healthier living environment. This fosters a sense of dignity and well-being among community members, contributing to an improved overall quality of life.
• Students are more likely to attend and focus in schools that provide clean, well-maintained toilet facilities. Similarly, members of the public are more inclined to utilize public toilets rather than practice open defecation when accessible, hygienic restroom options are available in their communities.

Potential challenges and recommended solution

I might not be an expert in this area, but these are some of the problems I think this solution will face and some recommended solution

1. Initial Cost and Funding

- Challenge: High upfront costs can be prohibitive for rural communities. This is quite common for many African Innovation

- Potential Solutions: Partner with NGOs, seek government subsidies, explore innovative financing (micro financing, pay-as-you-go), Create an affordable alternative.

2. Community Acceptance?

- Challenge: Cultural barriers and skepticism about new technology

- Potential Solution: Effective community engagement, education, demonstrations involving local leaders??

3. Maintenance and Support

- Challenge: Limited access to spare parts and skilled technicians in rural areas

- Potential Solutions: Train local residents for basic maintenance, establish supply chains for easy spare part accessibility, create technician job opportunities

4. Climate and Environment

- Challenge: Reliance on solar energy impacted by limited sunlight in some regions

- Potential Solutions: Explore supplementary energy sources (wind, biomass), incorporate energy storage

5. Scaling and Replication

- Challenge: Logistical difficulties in scaling across diverse communities

- Potential Solution: Develop adaptable, scalable models through partnerships with governments, NGOs, private sector

6. Regulations

- Challenge: Compliance with varying local health and safety standards

- Potential Solution: Close collaboration with authorities to align design/operations with requirements

7. Awareness and Education??

- Challenge: Lack of awareness about benefits and proper usage

- Potential Solution: Comprehensive community education programs on hygiene, impact, and use

Overcoming these challenges through innovative solutions, strategic partnerships, and community involvement will be critical for widespread, sustainable adoption of the SavvyLoo sanitation technology.

References and Additional Resources

1. https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/dudley-jackson-0b0a3b28
2. https://aquaforall.org/project/savvyloo-tembisa-pilot-pennine-desiccation-toilet-and-waste-valorisation-system/
3. https://seed.uno/enterprise-profiles/savvyloo
4. https://www.savvyloo.com/about/
5. https://www.wrc.org.za/wp-content/uploads/mdocs/SLooavvy.pdf
6. https://www.engineeringforchange.org/solutions/product/savvyloo/#performance_use
7. https://www.fsmtoolbox.com/assets/pdf/26_-_11h45_4_Jackson_ORTambo_Fri.pdf