In the rural areas of Kakamega County, where schools, health centers, markets, and places of worship double as vital water hubs for entire communities, too many water systems are quietly falling apart.
Aging water infrastructure (pipes, pumps e.t.c) need upgrades to keep up with growing families and needs, but there’s rarely enough money to expand or even repair them properly. Tariff collections often fall short, leaving little for maintenance; monitoring is spotty, so accountability slips away; and many systems don’t fully comply with regulations like the Water Act. All this leads to frequent breakdowns, forcing people especially in health facilities where reliable water is essential for patient care back to unsafe sources, risking diseases and holding back progress.
That’s the tough reality that prompted Safe Water and Sustainable Hygiene Initiative (SAWASHI) and Water Engineers for the Americas and Africa (WEFTA) to step in with their Circuit Rider Program.
SAWASHI regularly visits these community water systems, dedicating significant time to hands-on training that empowers local management committees with essential skills in governance, financial management, tariff collection, and regulatory compliance. They work side-by-side on preventive maintenance, minor rehabilitations, and improved billing practices, but the heart of the approach lies in this practical, ongoing capacity-building that equips communities not just to fix problems today, but to confidently manage and sustain their systems independently. This focused training tackles the root issues head-on, fostering financial stability, enabling expanded coverage, and ensuring reliable operation for years to come.
The difference this makes is profound: fewer illnesses from contaminated water, kids staying in school instead of fetching from afar, bustling markets with reliable supply, and health care facilities able to focus on care rather than crises. Early results from similar efforts show higher system uptime, better revenue for upkeep, and stronger local leadership; all contributing to healthier, more resilient communities across rural Kenya.
As this program grows, it’s a genuine invitation for donors and partners to join a proven, community-centered model that’s already closing critical gaps in rural water sustainability. By supporting SAWASHI and WEFTA, you’re not just funding repairs; you’re helping build lasting self-reliance, ensuring clean water flows reliably for generations in Kenya’s most vulnerable rural communities.