Kenya's Water Crisis - Kenya's Water In 2020

Kenya's water and sanitation crisis

With a population of 50 million, 32 percent of Kenyans rely on unimproved water sources, such as ponds, shallow wells and rivers, while 48 percent of Kenyans lack access to basic sanitation solutions. These challenges are especially evident in rural areas and urban slums where people are often unable to connect to piped water infrastructure.

In rural Kenya, the average total coping costs for an unreliable or distant water supply are approximately $38 per month. In comparison, the average water bill of a typical household in Nairobi that is connected to a piped system is only $4.46 per month. This comparison highlights the economic burdens that often fall more heavily on unconnected rural customers than on households with piped connections. However, there are many areas where piped water connections do not produce a reliable, constant flow of water. Thus, solutions like borehole wells and rainwater harvesting tanks are also needed in urban and peri-urban areas.

Now more than ever access to safe water is critical to the health of families in Kenya so they can prepare and protect themselves from the COVID-19 pandemic and other diseases.

16 million Lack access to safe water

Kenya

Capital: Nairobi

Population of 50 million

24 million people lack access to improved sanitation

66% of the total population lives on less than $3.20 per day

Our impact in Kenya

Kenya is home to Water.org’s first WaterCredit program in Africa. During this initial program, Water.org proved the viability of this market-based approach and achieved more than double our projected impact, reaching more than 500,000 Kenyans with access to water and sanitation. We’ve built upon this successful foundation by engaging additional financial institution partners to develop and integrate water and sanitation lending into their portfolios. See how small, affordable loans are changing the lives of families in Kenya.

5.5 M

5.5 million people reached with access to safe water and sanitation

The water and sanitation crisis in Kenya remains critical, and we're developing new ways to scale our work to reach even more people.

In addition to household lending, we will expand loan offerings to small and medium enterprises such as schools, churches, and landlords who use loans to connect their properties to piped water or sewerage services.

In Kenya, Water.org is also collaborating with the Water Sector Trust Fund (WSTF). Created by the World Bank, the WSTF works to build the “bankability” of water utilities through technical assistance and improved financial management. Water.org connects trained and qualified water utilities with our commercial bank partners for loans to expand their infrastructure, reaching more people with safe water and sanitation solutions.

12 12 partners in Kenya

1.3 M 1.3 million loans disbursed for water and sanitation

$572 M $572 million in loans disbursed by our partners

Patrica built a life she loves

Through Water.org, Patricia was able to use a small, affordable loan to purchase three rain storage tanks for her property. Now she has enough water to feed her livestock, water her vegetable garden, and to cover her household needs. And, now she doesn’t walk long distances carrying heavy vessels of water, multiple times a day.

Stories of Impact
Alice saves money and her family

Alice and her family rely on the food her livestock, plants, and trees produce. In the same way, these things rely on Alice to give them water. So how does one living in rural Kenya get enough water to not only provide for their family’s needs but to also keep their plants and animals healthy? For a time, Alice had to piece together water from various sources.
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Stories of Impact
The power of supporting one another

The people we serve are change agents capable of transforming their lives and communities. Journey with us to a village in rural Kenya where a small group of people worked together to make a big difference for themselves and their neighbors.
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Stories of Impact
Empowering families in Kenya with access to water

Beautiful and lively, Kenya boasts a culture of tradition and hospitality, yet it continues to struggle with one of the world’s greatest challenges—access to water for all. Meet some of the families whose lives have been changed through our smart solutions.
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