In some areas of East Africa 8/10 people have no access to clean water and families are having to walk an average of 80 minutes to collect water. The water collected from dirty ponds is extremely unhygienic, and due to the high crime rate the route is often very dangerous. Mr Bheki Cele, the South African police minister, has recently reported an increase on the crime rate in East Africa (Crime Rates and Trends in Africa, 2019) with Kenya being one of the most prominent places for violence.

Fortunately there is a team on the ground in Kenya trying to put an end to the problem of water sanitation and hygiene, an NGO called Dig Deep.

Recognising that diseases kill more people than wars, they are committed to ensuring schools and communities in Bomet and Narok have access to clean water and are trained in hygiene & menstrual health. They maintain a geographically focused approach in order to fully understand the areas they work, allowing themselves to form long term relationships supporting positive partnerships with the local government, businesses and county leaders.

Dig Deep work predominantly on Taps, Toilets and Training. While this sounds simple, the opportunity to visit a structurally safe, private toilet in Bomet, and Narok is rare. The impact on children’s health and subsequently school attendance is huge, particularly for teenage girls, disproportionately so. 57% of girls in Bomet are not in secondary education. After adolescence, the provision of somewhere safe, private and hygienic to deal with menstruation can be the difference between a girl continuing with education and dropping out of school.

Rather than accept inadequate, unsafe toilet facilities forcing absentees, schools like Tembwo Junior reach out to Dig Deep for help. Within 10 weeks a block of 6 latrines each for boys and girls were built, a huge improvement on the few previous toilets for the 297 students. The School is now flourishing. The Headmaster Mr Langat has noticed absenteeism plunge (along with illness) while attainment has increased. 

"We have benefitted a lot from the Dig Deep Programme. Our toilets are now clean and we have good health with our toilets. We have no more diseases in our school. We want to thank you a lot." Victory, Head Girl.

Justus Tanui, the regional manager, was initially appointed a field officer in 2013. He works closely with Nelly Chepkorir, a project officer, who is equally invested in promoting the long-term health and educational benfits that improved water and sanitation can bring. They are not daunted by remote areas, instead work closely with the government to get funding, prioritise those in need and find solutions that will improve future communities for generations. 

“Bomet County is a marginalised area of Kenya where only 19% of people have access to clean water and sanitation - far below the national average of 42%. 

Population density and poverty levels are high in Bomet with 47% of people living below the poverty line and only 20% able to access any health care.

We have been working in Bomet County since 2011. Narok is a semi-arid area that receives little rainfall throughout the year, resulting in the Maasai having to walk miles to collect water, which is often contaminated. An extensive household survey conducted with our local partners in the communities we work with showed that in the dry seasons households walk for an average of 80 minutes to collect water and 9 in 10 households lack access to a latrine.”

‘We aren’t trying to solve every problem everywhere - instead, we work in the South West of Kenya, where currently 8 out of 10 people lack access to clean water and sanitation.’ Justus Tanui, Regional Manager.

I also think it’s important to note that Dig Deep utilise the local resources and labour, giving the community the opportunity to construct their own facilities and understand how to maintain them. Unfortunately it is not unheard of for charities to build wells and taps without considering the future maintenance, posing as NGOs battling sanitation and access to clean water in Kenya. For this reason, Dig Deep recognise that despite reported builds in remote areas, it does not necessarily mean stability for a community. Instead, they provide water systems that they continue to monitor the development of for 5 consecutive years after. 

Justus and Nelly demonstrated how they teach to prevent disease and maximise the potential of people to learn, ensuring the information is retained in the communities and will benefit generations to come. This secures them with employable skills for the future. Organisations such as Dig Deep and KPAP (during Kilimanjaro) have discovered a sustainable way to improve the lives of those struggling in East Africa and have provided a means of happiness to many families. I cannot communicate the appreciation and gratitude I felt walking around the schools that have received new facilities. The genuine smile on their faces and their sincere appreciation is something I will never forget.

Special thanks to the schools that welcomed us in so warmly during our visit, and for all the tea and bread. Dig Deep currently provide information on every project on Google Maps. This enables supporters to track their progress and visualise where their donations have impacted communities in Kenya. To learn more about their work visit Dig Deep.