Just a Drop has been active in Kenya for over a decade.
We’re proud to highlight the range of activities we deliver and the tangible impact our programme has achieved across the country.
Over the past year, we have reached 15,043 people in Kenya, whose lives have been transformed through improved access to water, sanitation, and hygiene.
Our work spans sand dams and schools, recognising that safe water is just the beginning.
Every initiative is designed for long-term sustainability, ensuring lasting benefits for communities, and is fully aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
None of this would be possible without the generous support of our partners and our country partner, ASDF, whose collaboration with and commitment to Just a Drop we deeply value.
Schools
Just a Drop delivers safe water to schools using large rainwater harvesting tanks. During the rainy season, these tanks collect water from the school roof and store it for use until the next season, a simple yet effective solution that meets the needs of hundreds of pupils.
We complement this with handwashing stations, soap-making programmes, menstrual health training, and hygiene education, providing a comprehensive approach.
The impact is clear. Children attend school more regularly, they get a better education, with improved health, and girls in particular benefit, through the complementary menstrual health programme we deliver.
Sand Dams
Sand dams are an ingenious, smart engineering solution to providing safe water. The dam is built across a seasonal dry river, and during the rainy season, when water flows, sand collects behind the dam. Millions of litres of water are stored in the sand, which also acts as a natural filtration system. The water can then be extracted through a well and hand-pump at the side of the river. Have a look here for more information.
We know sand dams achieve a huge impact in a whole variety of ways, which we’ve included across the next pages. Our recent research study, supported by the Royal Academy of Engineering, also shows this; we’ll be publishing details of that shortly…
Sustainable Agriculture
Sand dams raise the local water table, making the surrounding land more fertile.
In a place where drought is frequent, this allows the community to utilise vital water from the sand dam for their farming.
We provide training and tools to support sustainable agriculture, including land terracing, drought-resistant crop seedlings, and efficient irrigation techniques. This approach helps communities achieve lasting food security.
Excess crops are grown, which can then be traded to provide an income for families, transforming communities’ prospects.
Hygiene
Every one of our projects in Kenya includes hygiene education to communities, teachers, and pupils.
This prevents diseases and the contamination of clean water sources. We also set up Health Clubs in schools, to ensure positive hygiene practices are maintained for the long-term.
Our Kenyan projects are further supported by a soap-making programme, producing abundant liquid soap using locally sourced materials, ensuring a continuous and sustainable supply.
Menstrual Health
Just a Drop’s menstrual health programme in Kenya helps keep girls in school, tackling the myths and misinformation that still exist in rural communities across Kenya.
The training is provided not just in the school setting, but also within the sand dam programme, reaching all members of the community, normalising the topic across generations.
Loans
Sand dams bring safe water closer to people’s homes, freeing women from the long hours previously spent fetching water.
With this extra time, communities expressed a strong interest in access to finance to start small businesses.
Our small loans initiative meets this need, allowing people to borrow small amounts with a set interest rate, supported by full bookkeeping and finance training.
The programme has been highly successful, supporting market gardens, food outlets, and livestock ventures, boosting incomes and transforming lives.
Energy Saving Stoves
Our most recent initiative in Kenya is the introduction of energy-saving stoves. These stoves promote healthier homes and protect the environment by reducing smoke, using locally produced fuel, and helping to prevent deforestation
Just a Drop, Kenya & Sustainability
Just a Drop’s entire Kenya programme is built for sustainability, delivering long-term benefits for communities.
The programme has community involvement at its core, and training is provided to ensure each solution can be locally maintained. For example, the school rainwater harvesting tanks will continue supplying safe water to generations of children.
We also align the programme against the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and have a direct impact on SDG 6, Clean Water and Sanitation.
We also contribute to several other SDGs, including SDG 5, Gender Equality, and SDG 1, No Poverty.
There’s more about our approach to sustainability here.
Why We Work In Kenya
19.8 million people in Kenya don’t have access to safe water, that’s 35% of the population.
Far too many rely on unsafe sources, often walking for hours each day to collect water. Children are forced to drink contaminated water, putting their health at risk and keeping them out of school. In the regions where we work, repeated droughts have made these challenges even worse.
Just a Drop’s work in Kenya is made possible by the generosity of our partners and supporters, and we would be deeply grateful if you chose to join them.
A £10.00 monthly donation can support a family with safe water for 10 years.
Your support can make a life-changing difference – thank you for your consideration.
