ChildFund, in partnership with Davis & Shirtliff, has successfully commissioned two water projects in Kitui County. The two organizations partnered to renovate open boreholes and install solar-powered water pumping systems at Muslim Primary School and Kitui School for the Mentally Handicapped. These projects are set to provide clean and safe water to over 5,700 people, significantly improving access to this essential resource for both schools and the surrounding communities.

During the commissioning ceremony, ChildFund’s Africa Regional Director Chege Ngugi, highlighted how the project aligns with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3 on health and well-being, and SDG 6 on access to clean water and sanitation. “Partnerships such as this one are crucial to achieving our goal of reaching 100 million children and their families by 2030. No single entity can address the water challenge. We need more and more players and innovative approaches to ensure access to clean water for all. ChildFund is collaborating with development partners to scale up these impactful projects to enhance access to clean water – and we are challenging the two schools to focus on ensuring the sustainability of the water systems.”

Nur Riday, Davis & Shirtliff Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Coordinator, highlighted projects D&S has engaged in since 2018 emphasizing that they have implemented over 700 projects since then. “ChildFund is our top partner in impactful projects geared towards ensuring the safety and ease of access to water for children. We look forward to even more partnerships in the future.”

ChildFund Kenya’s Country Director, Alice Kamau applauded the Improving Lives Initiative citing that in any scarcity children are always the first victims. “We are all aware that solarizing boreholes offers a lasting solution to unreliable water access, especially in rural areas. It provides a consistent and independent water source free from the limits of unreliable electricity supplies. By the end of the year, this project will reach more than 5,700 people with clean and safe water. Special thanks to our partners Davis & Shirtliff, and Eastern Community Development Programme (ECDP) for it is only in working together, that this milestone has been made possible at this time.”