Water, Sanitation, & Hygiene (WASH)
In Kenya, only about 37% of the population has access to basic sanitation and 38% to basic hygiene services, contributing to a high burden of diarrhoeal diseases. In Tharaka Nithi County, poor sanitation practices and limited access to safe water contribute directly to preventable illnesses.
In addition to providing clean treated drinking water systems and handwashing soap to 281 schools, HopeCore-empowered CHPs have consistently ensured that at least 90.5% of homes have handwashing stations. These CHPs have also continued to educate our clients on the importance of treating all of their drinking water, hand hygiene, and home sanitation.
Diarrhoeal diseases continue to be one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. According to UNICEF, diarrhea accounts for 8% of deaths among children under five years, with 1,300 children dying each day globally. In Kenya, one in every ten deaths occurring in children under five years is due to diarrhea (WHO, 2017). Additionally, diarrhea is the leading cause of malnutrition in children below five years as they lose nutrients necessary for growth from episodes of diarrhea.
Since 2012, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, HopeCore has run a robust Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) program in over 281 partner schools. Starting in 2020, we began offering water and hygiene services in the community.
Soap Making
Our WASH program is promoting empowerment. Through a collaboration with a visually impaired community member, we are producing handwashing soap, which is distributed to over 281 schools. This achievement not only highlights his skills but also demonstrates the program’s impact in creating sustainable opportunities for individuals with disabilities, promoting both community health and economic independence.
Soap Distribution
80,759 Liters of soap distributed
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, HopeCore ensured there were four handwashing stations in every partner school.
The handwashing stations include a 70-liter tank, a stand, and soap for handwashing. HopeCore ensures the presence of handwashing soap in 281 schools throughout the year.
Tank Distribution and Monitoring
60,000+ Students have access to clean drinking water in school
We ensure clean water for drinking in each of our 281 partner schools by distributing a 1000-liter water tank per school for drinking water, three small water tanks for handwashing, and free WaterGuard each term.
HopeCore’s WASH team regularly monitors all tanks distributed to schools and in the community through chlorine residue testing and water quality assessments to ensure safe drinking water. Additionally, any tank found to be faulty is repaired by the facility.
Additionally, HopeCore’s team monitors to ensure that the tanks have water, they have been cleaned regularly, and soap is present for handwashing.
At each monitoring visit, HopeCore conducts health education on WASH topics to students, teachers, and/or health club members.
Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM)
13,645 Girls received sanitary pads
More than 65% of girls and women in Kenya are unable to afford sanitary pads, with studies showing that 2 out of 3 sanitary pad users in rural Kenya obtain them from sexual partners, putting young girls at risk of sexually transmitted infections, early and unplanned pregnancies leading to school dropout, and early marriages.
Since its launch in 2016, the MHM project has worked to address this challenge by providing annual sanitary kits to 2,900 needy school girls every year. Each kit contains a year’s supply of sanitary towels and an educational pamphlet. Furthermore, our teams offer menstrual hygiene management education to girls to empower them to grow up as confident beings with the proper understanding of their bodies.
Our WASH team is advocating for the inclusion of a private changing place for girls in school sanitation facilities.
School Health Clubs
Reached 506 health clubs, with 11,258 members
gaining essential WASH knowledge
Student Health Clubs are the driving force behind HopeCore’s school health program.
These young champions lead by example — promoting hygiene, handwashing, and menstrual health while inspiring their peers to adopt lifelong healthy habits.
Through peer-to-peer learning, health clubs become powerful delivery channels for health education, WASH practices, nutrition, and menstrual hygiene support.
Our Fruit for Life project started in 2023 by planting mango and avocado seedlings at 20 schools. This initiative expanded to school kitchen gardens with the goal to improve child nutrition while supporting schools and communities to adapt to climate change.
These powerful WASH programs are supported by community advocacy, with stakeholder forums that promote improved WASH standards in collaboration with institutional leaders and government water and education departments!