Coast

Ministries partner to ensure Kwale schoolchildren get clean drinking water

Some of the 40 enumerators for the K-WASH programme undergo training at the Cultural Amphitheatre in Kwale County on June 10, 2024. (Photo: Mishi Gongo)

By Mishi Gongo | Monday, June 10, 2024

The county noted that the programme was motivated by the fact that children spend a significant portion of their day in school, where WASH services impact their learning.

Primary and secondary schools in Kwale County are set to benefit from a project to give all learning institutions access to clean drinking water and proper sanitation and hygiene facilities.

The county noted that the programme was motivated by the fact that children spend a significant portion of their day in school, where WASH services impact their learning, health, and dignity, particularly for girls.

Also noteworthy is that every child has the right to a quality education, which includes access to drinking water, as well as sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities.

Kwale Health executive Francis Gwama presides over a one-day training of enumerators for the K-WASH programme, which took place at the Cultural Amphitheatre on June 10, 2024. (Photo: Mishi Gongo)

The initiative is known as the "Kenya Integrated Water Sanitation and Hygiene Program (K-WASH)" and is carried out by the Ministry of Education in partnership with the Health and Water ministries.

The aim, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 6 on Clean Water and Sanitation, is for the inclusion of K-WASH in schools.

Kwale Health executive Francis Gwama presides over a one-day training of enumerators for the K-WASH programme, which took place at the Cultural Amphitheatre on June 10, 2024. (Photo: Mishi Gongo)

Kwale Health executive Francis Gwama said the Water Department was conducting a research on behalf of the three ministries to assess the water, sanitation, and hygiene conditions in schools across the county.

"The research is to contribute valuable information that can help identify areas for improvement and inform policies and interventions aimed at promoting better WASH access and practices at schools," Gwama said on Monday.

Some of the 40 enumerators for the K-WASH programme undergo training at the Cultural Amphitheatre in Kwale County on June 10, 2024. (Photo: Mishi Gongo)

Kwale is also training 40 enumerators to carry out data collection using the KoboCollect app, an exercise presided over by Gwama, Social Services Chief Officer Riziki Mwasoza, and trainers from both the Water and Health dockets.

The 40 include public health, education, and community development officers.

"The main objective of the survey is to establish the status of school WASH facilities to inform planning for the implementation of the proposed World Bank-financed K-WASH programme," Gwama explained.