Population: 38.8 millionAnnual no. of under-5 deaths: 189,000
Life expectancy at birth: 54 years
Population without an improved drinking water source: 41%
Sources: WHO/UNICEF, Progress on Sanitation and Drinking Water, 2010; UNICEF
Our Initiatives in Kenya
- Developing a Safe Water Enterprise in Kibera Through Technical Assistance
- Safe Water Network and IFC in Kenya: Developing Commercial Solutions
Developing a Safe Water Enterprise in Kibera Through Technical Assistance
Situation:Kibera, located three miles from the city center of Nairobi, is the largest slum in Kenya, and the second largest urban slum in Africa. Running water is non-existent in most homes and basic services are inconvenient, sporadic and expensive. To obtain water, residents pay two to ten times what is paid by a Nairobi resident outside the slums. Most carry water back to their houses in jerry cans after walking great distances to the nearest water source. In addition, these challenging conditions exacerbate the health burden throughout the area. Project Overview: 
As part of our Technical and Advisory service capability, Safe Water Network is working with the NGO Shining Hope for Communities to test the link between the provision of safe water and improvements in education. We began by constructing a 100,000 liter tank and water treatment facility in Kibera that will provide clean water to a local girl’s school. The community currently receives piped water from the city, but the water is not considered safe due to a proliferation of illegal connections and cross contamination.
Our project includes the design and installation of the water tower and purification system that will ensure quality standards, chlorination levels and taste preferences. Additionally, we are providing systems training to enable local residents to operate the facility in the future. The project will provide safe water free of charge to the Shining Hope for Community’s school for girls and will be made available at affordable rates to the community (approximately 2,000 households).
Project Outcomes: This project links two high-impact interventions within an urban slum environment – improved education and fair and equitable clean water access. Safe Water Network’s water system and storage facility will:
Safe Water Network and IFC in Kenya: Developing Commercial Solutions Click here to return to the top of the page Situation: 
In Kenya, roughly 50% of the population lacks access to piped water. In rural areas, where about 80% of Kenyans live, only 40% have readily available safe water (World Bank 2009). There is a huge, unmet need and demand among these communities living beyond the “grid” and efforts to serve such populations, often donor funded, have high failure rates and inconsistent service.
Project Overview: Safe Water Network is partnering with IFC to assess the market for commercial water provision in Kenya. With this initiative, we’re identifying the opportunities and challenges for scalable, decentralized commercial water solutions like the ones we’ve implemented in Ghana and India. Building on our field and market experience, we’re investigating key challenges in financing, regulatory structure, pricing, and equitable access. The initiative includes market research and case studies as well as the collaboration and input of key thought leaders and stakeholders in Kenya. In September, we convened an Expert Advisory Group meeting in Nairobi, where representatives from organizations including the World Bank, Water and Sanitation Program, Water Services Trust Fund Kenya, and the Netherlands Development Organization reviewed preliminary findings and discussed challenges and opportunities. Safe Water Network’s project with IFC draws on our knowledge base from current field initiatives in Kenya, Ghana and India, and is addressing key challenges to sustainability and barriers to success in financing, regulatory structure, pricing, and equitable access. Project Outcomes: The market assessment will present a compelling business case to determine opportunities and requirements for the provision of safe water in Kenya including:
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