Water.org is working in the Kisumu region of Kenya, offering both grant and WaterCredit programs. Located on the equator, Kisumu’s climate is hot all year. Much of the Nyanza Province, where Water.org is working, is semi-arid and subject to severe drought. Most people obtain their drinking water from Lake Victoria, seasonal rivers and streams, and hand-dug wells. All of these sources are contaminated. Women and children walk up to six kilometers each day to haul water, a task that takes up to three hours. Water is not only contaminated at its source but also from the way it is transported and stored. Few households boil their water.
Kenya
- Capital
- Nairobi
- Population
- 39 million
- No Water
- 16.8 million
- No Sanitation
- 22.6 million
- Infant Mortality
- 5%
- Below Poverty
- 50%
Regional News
Photos
We archive all our pictures on Flickr. Below is just a quick sample of what you will find on our account. Educational use of photos is permitted provided appropriate attribution to Water.org or the photographer is indicated.
The Water & Sanitation Crisis
The water crisis in Kenya is disrupting social and economic activities throughout the country. Unfortunately, the current wave of droughts and water shortages in Kenya and the rest of East Africa is only expected to continue.
The water crisis is due not only to the wave of droughts, but also to poor management of the water supply, under-investment, unfair allocation of water, rampant deforestation, pollution of water supplies by untreated sewage, and a huge population explosion (thirty-fold increase since 1900).
Kenya is limited by an annual renewable fresh water supply of only 647 cubic meters per capita, and is classified as a water scarce country. Only 57 percent of the rural population has access to an improved drinking water source, and the time-intensive pursuit of water collection often prevents women from taking up income generating activities, or in the case of girls, prevents them from attending school.
