Kajiado Borehole Rehabilitation Project

Kajiado Borehole Rehabilitation Project


The greater Kajiado district is located in southern Kenya and is one of the first sites that AMREF implemented health interventions, and it continues to be a focus area.

 

The Kajiado region is one of the driest places in Kenya, and reliable water sources are scarce for the over 180,000 people and 1.4 million domestic animals that live there. For the Masaai, the people who mainly inhabit this region, large herds of cattle are a sign of wealth, and overgrazing has led to loss of vegetation cover and soil erosion, further contributing to the rapid depletion of water sources.

Water coverage in Kajiado district is rated at 30% compared to the national rural average of 49%, and sanitation coverage is equally low at only 28%, while the national average is 52%. Aside from high prevalence of water and sanitation related diseases, women and children (particularly girls) have to walk long distances in search of water, usually from unsafe sources. Our work in this area continues to reduce the risk of water-borne illnesses and diseases.

Main Objectives

  • Ensuring access to clean drinking water through partnership with the communities to develop and/or rehabilitate boreholes
  • Building community capacity to operate, maintain, and manage sustainable water sources
  • Partnering with the community to promote hygiene through the construction and use of sanitation facilities
  • Supporting communities to prevent malaria through education and use of ITNs (Insecticide-Treated Mosquito Nets)
  • Promoting safe hygiene practices through training of TOTs (Trainer of Trainers)
  • Documenting and sharing best practices and lessons learned

Key Achievements

  • 47 boreholes rehabilitated in partnership with the communities and the government of Kenya
  • 47 borehole management committees democratically elected to sustainably manage the boreholes using water sales revenue under 10 clusters
  • 94 borehole operators (2 per borehole) trained on operation and maintenance
  • Formation and capacity building of one umbrella CSO (Civil Society Organization) to work with the 10 cluster committees in the coordination of the overall management of the boreholes, advocacy for water rights, and other related issues
  • 40 VIP (Ventilated Improved Pit Latrines) toilets and bathrooms constructed in 10 borehole sites 
As a result of our work, we have significantly reduced the walking distance to water point by an average of 9 kilometers, and have increased access to safe and adequate water to 39%. As this on-going project further develops, AMREF will continue to monitor the performance of the community-based structure in order to finalize the documentation and validation of its effectiveness in the long term so that we can replicate this project in other areas affected by poor access to clean water.
 
   << To learn more about AMREF's water and sanitation work in Kajiado and Loitoktok, click here.
 
   << To read an extensive project summary on AMREF's objectives and accomplishments on Boreholes Rehabilitation in Kajiado, click here.

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Clean water and sanitation:

Women and children are disproportionately affected by the lack of safe water and sanitation.

  • Women and children walk on average 3.5 miles each day to get often untreated water. This commute - 15 hours per week - prevents them from attending class and/or pursuing income-producing activities.
  • Lack of adequate sanitation facilities at schools results in lower leves of attendance among girls, perpetuating cycles of gender inequality and poverty.

History of AMREF in Kenya

AMREF was established in Kenya in 1957 as the Flying Doctors of East Africa but quickly progressed from a curative service organization to one that implements projects addressing HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria, reproductive health, water, and sanitation in over 40 districts around the country.

Throughout the years, AMREF has become more involved in influencing health policy in Kenya and has succeeded in bringing community voices and experiences to the national strategic planning platform. AMREF chairs a national health network and participates in more than 30 national committees and taskforces, especially within the Ministry of Health and the National AIDS Control Council.