NAIROBI, Kenya, April 24 – Kenya is among four African countries set to benefit from a partnership between ChildFund International and Davis & Shirtliff to increase access to clean water for communities living in arid and semi-arid areas.
The other three countries are Ethiopia, Uganda and Zambia. ChildFund and Davis & Shirtliff, a supplier of water and energy-related solutions, will collaborate to deploy sustainable water solutions to provide clean and safe water to marginalized and under-resourced communities using technology.
The partnership will focus on borehole installation and rehabilitation, installing water storage tanks, electric and solar-powered pumps.
Besides providing water testing technologies and services the organizations will implement water-related interventions in public schools.
“This partnership could not have come at a better time when many communities are reeling from the effects of climate change, manifested by frequent droughts leading to food and water insecurity,” Mr Chege Ngugi, Africa Regional Director of ChildFund, said.
He said COVID-19 pandemic had demonstrated the importance of access to clean water in preventing diseases. Already, Davis &Shirtliff and ChildFund have drilled and equipped 4 boreholes in Samburu and Marsabit counties in Kenya to provide over 30,000 people, seven schools, two health facilities and animals with clean water.
According to UN World Water Development Report 2019, on a global scale, half of the people who drink water from unsafe sources live in Africa, while in Sub-Saharan Africa, only 24% of the population has access to safe drinking water. United Nations Sustainable Development Goal No. 6 urges nations to ensure that water is clean, accessible, reused, recycled and protected.
“This partnership will make water affordable and accessible to more people, no matter where they live,” said Mr Edward Davis, Davis & Shirtliff Managing Director said.
