CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICE PROJECT, KENYA

LOCATION
Turkana and Isiolo counties, Kenya

PROJECT PARTNERS
CRS (Catholic Relief Service) Kenya

PROJECT DURATION
June 2021 – August 2022

CHALLENGE

In developing countries where 80% of illnesses are due to poor water and sanitation, the lack of clean drinking water directly contributes to the spread of diseases like dysentery, typhoid fever, cholera, and more. In Kenya, poor water quality and sanitation is a leading cause of these potentially deadly diseases. Furthermore, many Kenyan counties are classified as ‘very arid’ and constrained by limited access to reliable water sources. When seasonal climate changes result in droughts and floods, water retention is adding to the multiple challenges facing the rural communities in Kenya.

SOLUTION

The SaWa Pilot Project through the Kenya Rapid Program was a joint initiative of CRS Kenya & 4Life Solutions. The project partnership focuses on providing safe and affordable drinking waters to the Isiolo and Turkana counties with a total population of 268,002 and 1,016,174 persons respectively.

The project aimed to achieve the following outcomes:

Reduce the risk of waterborne diseases for vulnerable communities
Free up personal time – associated with illness and collecting fuel to boil and purify water
Lower environmental impact of firewood or fuel used to purify water
Bring WASH education, resources and hope to the local communities for a healthy future

The project included distribution of 10.000 SaWa Bag in 2021 and 100.000 SaWa Bag in 2022 throughout the two counties. The average number of people per household living in the Manjatas Straw Huts in the two counties is 4.6 persons per household. Each SaWa Bag provided two people with safe drinking water for an entire year.