Project Name：Improving Access to Basic Water Sanitation and Hygiene in Ten Health Care Facilities for Vulnerable Communities in Garissa County, Kenya

Project status：Completed projects

Cooperating Country：Kenya

Project Description：

Extreme weather events cause multiple threats and challenges, affecting human health, lives and economic activities. Since late 2020, Eastern Africa has faced its most severe drought since the 1980s, with five consecutive rainy seasons bringing abnormally low amounts of precipitation. As a result, an estimated 6.4 million people in Kenya now require humanitarian assistance, the highest number in the last decade. 

Kenya’s Garissa County has been subject to recurrent acute water shortages, and a large portion of its health care facilities (HCFs) lack basic water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services. The ongoing drought is further exacerbating HCF deficiencies in WASH services, decreasing the quality of local healthcare. To improve HCF access to WASH in Garissa County, the TaiwanICDF launched a new project in collaboration with the Terre des hommes Foundation (Tdh) in October 2023. The work aligned with WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (JMP) standards for HCFs, with an aim to improve target facilities’ WASH operations. Specific project goal covered the key aspects of water access, sanitation, hygiene, waste management and environmental cleanliness. The project also benefited the target HCFs to improve WASH capacity in response to extreme weather events, such as recurrent droughts and floods. Overall, the project included the following:

1. Water supply infrastructures, sanitation and hygiene facilities of 10 HCFs were constructed, rehabilitated, or improved.
2. Protocols for infrastructure operation and maintenance were developed and maintenance kits for HCFs (tools and equipment) were provided.
3. Training and capacity building for HCF staff and local health officials in WASH were conducted.

Implementation Start Date：2023-10-01

Implementation End Date：2025-09-30

Source of Funding：TaiwanICDF

Project Objectives：

Accessibility to basic water supply, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in 10 health care facilities in Garissa County improved, in accordance with international standards.

Executing Agency：

Terre des hommes Foundation (Tdh) Kenya Office

Implementation Arrangement：

The TaiwanICDF supported the project by dispatching experts. Tdh Kenya implemented the project and liaised with local government units, communities and stakeholders.