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Kenya

16.6 million Kenyans still lack access to safe water. This has a huge impact on health and infant mortality.

people in Kenya don't have access to safe water. This is almost half of the population.

Over 27 million people don't have access to adequate sanitation in Kenya, almost two-thirds of the population.

Over 10,000 children die every year from diarrhoea caused by unsafe water and poor sanitation in Kenya.

Kenya has a thriving tourist industry and exports tea, coffee and flowers around the world. But almost half the population live below the poverty line and millions lack safe water and basic toilets.

The crisis

WaterAid returned to Kenya in 2008, after ten years away from the country. This was because despite positive signs of development, 41% of Kenyans still lacked safe water and even more, 69% of the population, lacked access to a toilet.

As well as being scarce, water in Kenya is not distributed fairly. Priority is given to planned urban areas and wealthy rurual communities that can pay for services, so those in slums and remote villages often go without.

The sustainability of water, sanitation and hygiene programmes is also an issue. Although there is reliable information, estimates suggest up to a third of water pumps are broken at any one time.

Our approach

WaterAid transforms lives in Kenya through local partners that understand the country's specific water and sanitation issues. By providing essential funds and expertise we support them to reach some of the country's poorest people.

We also work with civil society organisations to influence decision-makers at all levels. This is to ensure such basic human rights as water and sanitation are prioritised in national plans and budgets.

We help build the capacity of local water boards and improve national information systems. This will create a more accurate picture of the functionality of water points and help to determine where the need is greatest.