SWASH+ PROGRAMME BACKGROUND INFORMATION

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1 SWASH+ PROGRAMME BACKGROUND INFORMATION Nyando District is one of 23 Districts in Nyanza Province. It boarders Kisumu East District to West, Nandi District to the North, Kericho District to East and Rachuonyo District to the South. Nyando District has a total land area of 1,168.4km 2 and is divided into five Administrative Divisions namely, Upper Nyakach, Lower Nyakach, Nyando, Miwani and Muhoroni Divisions.

2 The current population of the District stands at 371,000 people. Poverty index stands at 60.22%. The growth rate of the District is 3.4% (annual). Physiographic and Natural Conditions The District lies in the Eastern part of a large lowland surrounding the Nyanza Gulf, much of it in Kano Plains. The District can be divided into 3 main topographical land formations namely the Nandi Hills, the Nyabondo Plateau and the Kano Plains which are sandwiched between the two hills.

3 The Kano Plains comprise of predominantly black cotton clay soils with moderate fertility and poor drainage. The rest of the District has sandy, clay and loam soils derived from igneous rocks. The District attitude ranges from 1,800m above sea level in Nyabondo Plateau to 1100m along the Kano Plains and experience bimodal rainfall with the long rains received from March to May and short rains coming from September to November. Rainfall ranges between 600mm 1630mm while temperature ranges between 20 degrees centigrade to over 35 degrees centigrade.

4 Nyando District has two major rives Sondu Miriu and Nyando Rivers and one gazetted forest Koguta Forest. It has a shoreline that is about 11km long with several beaches where fishing activities take place. Both rivers are a major course of persistent flooding along its banks as they approach the Lake with devastating effects on resources and the population settled in these areas.

5 Low level of access to safe drinking water is a matter of great concern in the District. About 32% of the population is served to clean and safe water. The District is prone to flooding during the wet season thus resulting in contamination of water sources. The result is upsurge of water borne diseases. The other extreme condition is drought when people have to walk long distance in search of water or rely on unsuitable water from ponds which is shared with livestock.

6 HIV/AIDS has grown to be a major crisis in Nyando District not so much because of the high prevalence rate but due to the rising trend of infections. HIV/AIDS has a negative impact to the general development of the district. The disease has overstretched the demand for Health services available in the District.

7 SWASH+ PROJECT The school water, sanitation and hygiene plus community impact project by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Global Water Challenge Program over the next five year period starting September, 2006 in support of an initiative to engage the Government of Kenya in enhancing access to safe water sanitation and hygiene education in Nyanza Province and Nyando District being in Nyanza is a beneficiary of this programme.

8 The project is therefore a learning initiative designed to test the most effective ways to sustain and scale access to safe drinking water, effective sanitation and hygiene in schools environment with a resulting behavioural impact in the targeted community and beneficiaries. The consortium partners include Key Government Ministries (Water, Health, Social Services, Office of the President etc).

9 Millennium Water Alliance (MWA), MWA members, CARE and Water Partners International (WPI) working collaboratively with their local partners Sustainable Aid in Africa International (SANA), the Centre for Global Safe Water (CGSW) Research Program of Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health with local partner, Great Lakes University of Kisumu (GLUK). The Consortium Partners believe that expanding access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene especially for people who are extremely poor, is essential for improving health, overcoming poverty and social injustice, and developing sustainable livelihoods.

10 As a strategic approach to secure the programme long-term goal, the following key outlined development objectives have been developed and adapted by the collaborative partners to guide the project implementation processes. * Identify, develop and test innovative approaches to school and community based water sanitation and hygiene interventions that promote sustainability and scalability. * Provide and test an integrated safe water, sanitation and hygiene promotion program in schools and communities that maximizes impact, equity, sustainability and cost-effectiveness.

11 * Develop and implement a scalable model for the delivery and financing of safe water, sanitation and hygiene promotion to schools and communities based on lessons learned and innovative approaches that address the varying conditions found in schools and communities. The three programme objectives present an interrelated and mutually reinforcing set of goals that collectively contribute to the overall project vision. Objectives 1 and 2 are designed to ensure that: innovation and program implementation are fully informed by current best practices; the programme is responsive to the needs of schools and communities as well as to the current political

12 and social environment; and that appropriate hardware and software are utilized. - SWASH+ Project conceptual approach includes the development and testing of several water treatment and supply systems, sanitation and hygiene interventions to address WSH needs in Kenya. Base package consisting of water treatment and hand washing; a sanitation package; a rain water Harvesting package; and a community water package under the water credit initiative for scalability.

13 Challenges and how they were addressed Some of the critical challenges experiences by the field teams during the latrine implementation processes across the clusters included delays in materials delivery due to heavy rains resulting into very feeder bad roads and sometimes very rough terrains that led to time lags in meeting targets. Besides, households/community engagements/ competing demands, collapsing pits due to poor soil formation (Black Cotton Soil) and slow community contributions and active involvement in embracing the development initiatives were also some of the noticeable challenges.

14 Is SWASH + different from other SW Programs No. It advocates for water and sanitation in schools and communities. Yes - Incorporates a learning model. What works, what doesn t and what is most cost effective - From lessons learnt it attempts to scale innovative and best practices in water and sanitation. - Engages both Government and NGO s to ensure effective resource utilization.