Health, Hygiene
& Sanitation
Enhanced Health Hygeine and Sanitation for 3,800+ households through sanitation awareness campaigns and Bio Sand Water filters, HIV/AIDS awareness, mobile VCTs. Sensitization and awareness on drugs and substance abuse prevention to 1,850 beneficiaries across Yatta sub-county.
The Challenge
General hygeine, sanitation standards and personal cleanliness has been a great challenge in rural regions in Kenya. Access to clean drinking water and basic sanitation has historically been out of reach for most rural households. Children falling ill from low sanitation standards and waterborne diseases missed school consistently, reducing educational outcomes. Women and girls bore the burden of water collection and inadequate sanitation facilities, affecting dignity and school attendance. HIV/AIDS continued to affect households while stigma prevented testing and treatment. Drug and substance abuse among youth undermined family stability and community development.
Hygiene education sessions led by trained community health promoters teach households about handwashing at critical moments, safe water storage and latrine use complementing the physical infrastructure with the behavioural knowledge needed for lasting change. NACODEV has been using Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) and Children Hygeine and Sanitation Training (CHAST) as approaches to improve and enhance the standards of hygeine and sanitation.
NACODEV has constructed sanitation blocks in 6 primary schools namely: Syokisinga,Kamale,Kisaani, Kiamani, Muusini and Kiuukuni primary schools serving a total of 1500+ learners. These facilities keep teenage girls and boys in school through the full month addressing a significant cause of dropout that is rarely discussed openly.
A targeted drugs and substance abuse prevention project has reached more than 1,850 household beneficiaries, delivering behaviour change communication at schools and community gatherings. Poultry keeping and micro enterprises have been introduced as income-generating activities to provide youth with productive economic alternatives and strengthen household livelihoods.
"When NACODEV brought the bio-sand filter, I stopped boiling water for every meal. The children stopped getting sick every rainy season. That filter paid for itself many times over."
— Mueni K., Beneficiary, Health Programme, KatangiImpact
Over 3,800 households county-wide now have access to clean drinking water through bio-sand filters; a technology that has measurably reduced waterborne disease rates in participating communities. School sanitation facilities have improved girls' attendance and dignity. Mobile VCT services have removed the access and stigma barriers that previously kept many residents from knowing their HIV status and accessing treatment. The drugs prevention programme has reduced substance abuse among youth in targeted areas and provided livelihood alternatives through poultry income-generating activities.
