- Deputy chief of party at WKSP Roselyn Okwiri said they are partnering with the county to implement the programme within five years.
- He said they signed a deal with the Belgium government to help increase the water supply to residents.
A US-funded organisation has begun an initiative to construct pit latrines for more than 12,500 households to improve sanitation in Homa Bay.
Western Kenya Sanitation Project said Homa Bay is one of the counties with leading cases of Open Defecation in the Western region.
Statistics indicate that Homa Bay has only 89 per cent latrine coverage.
Deputy chief of party at WKSP Roselyn Okwiri said they are partnering with the county to implement the programme within five years.
The organisation at the same time will be providing menstrual hygiene management interventions to adolescent girls in the county.
Okwiri said they will select and train at least 30 artisans in each of the eight subcounties to help them build the modern latrines.
“Youths have been given opportunities to provide innovative solutions and improve sanitation in the community. Training will help in capacity building,” Okwiri said.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of their inception meeting with other partners in Homa Bay town on Tuesday, Okwiri said they are going to construct lining latrine types that can be easily drained.
The latrines will also be connected to the sewer system by the county.
Water and Environment executive member Dickson Nyawinda also attended the meeting.
“The artisans and masons will have the ability to connect the latrines to the sewer system and ensure they are safely managed,” she said.
On menstrual hygiene management, Okwiri said they are going to work closely with companies that make sanitary pads to supply the items to their identified enterprises for easy accessibility to the targeted group.
They are encouraging the use of reusable towels for economic purposes and environmental conservation.
Homa Bay is considered a remote county where a number of girls have difficulties accessing sanitary towels. This interferes with their academics.
“Making sanitary towels available will make our girls manage their menstrual hygiene without any problem. We’re also intensifying sensitisation to reduce stigma,” she said.
Nyawinda said they are working on a master plan that will ensure continuous water supply to residents.
He said they signed a deal with the Belgium government to help increase the water supply to residents.
“We’re putting modalities in place to ensure our sewer systems operate without failure. Provision of adequate water and well-working sewer system will improve sanitation,” Nyawinda said.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)