Shiseso Water and Sanitation Project

Total Project Cost: $28,943

Project Location: Shiseso Community, Kakamega County, Kenya

Project & Program Background

The Shiseso Water and Sanitation Project was introduced to WEFTA by our local partner, Safe Water and Sustainable Hygiene Initiative (SAWASHI) responding to urgent water needs in rural Kakamega County. Shiseso Parish, its school, healthcare facility, and surrounding community, are heavily reliant on unreliable rainwater and contaminated streams, face critical water shortages and poor sanitation access.

WEFTA, SAWASHI and community leaders have developed a project plan to establish reliable water infrastructure and improve sanitation facilities, addressing major health and hygiene challenges in this growing rural population.

Community Background

Shiseso Parish is located in Ikolomani Sub-county, Kakamega County, serving a farming community of over 3,000 residents. Subsistence agriculture is the main livelihood, and the community faces extreme poverty rates, food insecurity, and limited access to education and healthcare. Homes are often semi-permanent structures, and the young population suffers disproportionately from poor sanitation and waterborne illnesses.

WEFTA, SAWASHI and community leaders have developed a project plan to establish reliable water infrastructure and improve sanitation facilities, addressing major health and hygiene challenges in this growing rural population.

Water, Sanitation and Health (WASH) Concerns

The community depends on seasonal rainwater and unsafe surface water, leading to high rates of cholera, typhoid, and diarrhea. Without reliable water for drinking, hygiene, or sanitation, residents—especially children and women—are vulnerable to disease outbreaks and poor living conditions. Safe, year-round water access is essential to address these chronic WASH challenges.

Proposed Project

The project will include:

• Conducting a hydrogeological survey and drilling a deep borehole.
• Installing a solar-powered pump system and water distribution pipelines to key points like schools, the health center, and public taps.
• Constructing a latrine at the ECDE school and handwashing stations at the healthcare facility.
• Forming and training a Water User Committee (WUC) to manage operations and maintenance.

Construction is expected to be completed within eight weeks after initiation.

Sustainability Considerations

A community-elected WUC will manage system operations, maintenance, and collection of small user fees to fund repairs. WEFTA and local partners will provide technical training and continuous engagement to ensure the system’s long-term success. Solar-powered infrastructure and durable construction materials will minimize environmental impact and operational costs.

The project is designed to enhance health, education, economic productivity, and particularly benefit women and children by reducing the burden of water collection and improving sanitation.

Community Engagement

Community members have actively participated in identifying project needs, selecting the borehole site, and planning construction activities. They will contribute labor during construction and serve on the WUC to manage the system post-construction, ensuring strong local ownership and sustainability. The community contribution to this project is $5,606 USD.

WEFTA Volunteers

WEFTA volunteers will contribute technical expertise for borehole drilling, solar system design, sanitation facility construction, and water quality assurance. They will also train local stakeholders in operation, maintenance, and hygiene promotion, ensuring that project goals are achieved sustainably and collaboratively. WEFTA volunteers will contribute 15% of the total project cost to engineering design support.

If you would like additional information about this project, please contact us.