• The handover marks the completion of the Sanitation for Universal Health Coverage project.
• Governor says providing high quality WASH facilities is an important way to keep children in school.
Image: HANDOUT
The Embassy of Japan and Unicef have donated water, sanitation and hygiene facilities to Kavingo Primary School in Kitui county.
The handover on Tuesday marked the completion of the Sanitation for Universal Health Coverage project.
“With funding of $10 million (about Sh1 billion) from the government of Japan, the project has accelerated progress towards the achievement of universal health coverage in Kenya,” the embassy said in a statement released Tuesday.
Through a global partnership between Unicef and LIXIL, Japan’s leading manufacturer of sanitation products, the project has supported communities to improve sanitation with the engagement of artisans, community health volunteers and youth groups.
“The government of Japan has provided five counties (Kitui, Homa Bay, Siaya, Migori and Turkana) in Kenya with toilets,” Ambassador Horie Ryoichi said during the handover.
“By providing these toilets, we aim to eliminate open defection, which has adverse effects on the health and development of children whose immune systems are not fully developed."
"I hope the students of this school will enjoy using these clean and sanitary toilets, as well as keeping them clean so that those who use them next can also enjoy them,” Ambassador Horie added.
Globally, Kenya is one of 26 countries that represent over 90 per cent of the burden of open defecation.
The WASH facilities were received by Governor Charity Ngilu.
In Kitui county, nearly 18,000 households have installed SATO products in their latrines, bringing a positive health impact, including reduced diarrhoea, undernutrition and stunting.
“I would like to thank the government of Japan and Unicef for investing in sanitation here in Kitui county,” Governor Ngilu said.
The governor said providing high quality WASH facilities is an important way to keep children in school.
"This can help prevent waterborne diseases among school children, reduce the number of days they miss school due to illness, and help them fulfil their potential in an improved learning environment,” Ngilu added.
The embassy said that since May 2020, the programme has reached over 4,500 villages, representing 1.4 million people, to create awareness on sanitation and hygiene practices such as hand washing with soap.
Over 2,200 villages have been certified as open defecation free in the counties of Baringo, Homa Bay, Kilifi, Kwale, Marsabit, Narok, Samburu, Turkana, West Pokot and Turkana with 800,000 people stopping open defecation.
Some 110 schools have been supported with WASH facilities and hygiene behaviour change messages in Kitui and Homa Bay counties, benefitting over 50,000 schoolchildren.
More than 136,000 people have gained access to improved sanitation through the market-based sanitation initiative in Kitui, Migori and Siaya counties.
“Unicef is very grateful to the Government of Japan for this partnership. Every child has the right to be healthy, whether at home or at school, and proper sanitation is essential to achieving this,” Unicef Representative to Kenya Maniza Zaman said.
“Here in Kenya, over 6,600 children under five are estimated to die each year from diarrhoea, of which 80 per cent are attributable to poor water, sanitation and hygiene . This cannot continue".
"The Covid-19 pandemic has shown the role of good hygiene in preventing the spread of disease. Now is the time for us all to work together to make open defecation a practice of the past and make good hygiene practices the norm for everyone,” Zaman added.
Elsewhere, the ambassador handed over the Project for Increased Output and Profits of Smallholder Farmers through Value-Added Improved Kienyeji Chicken in Nzambani subcounty on Wednesday.
Japan provided Sh5.9 million through the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects to construct a poultry centre and train farmers.