Example 6 - Clean Drinking Water in Kakamega County, Kenya
Describe the community's vision:
Health for all in the region (Butsotso Central community in the Kakamega County, Kenya)
State the mission:
Reduce hospital visits due to water-borne diseases by solving the dirty-water usage problems.
State the objectives:
- Target two springs within one year to benefit 300 people (accomplished).
- Protection of 5 springs to provide clean water to 5 villages/communities in Butsotso from March to May 2011.
- Increase awareness of water-borne diseases by 45% in the target villages (accomplished).
- Reduce rampant attacks of water-borne diseases by 20% (accomplished).
- Reduce drop-out rate in school attendance per term due to water-borne diseases by 30% (accomplished).
Identify the strategies the group used:
- Invited and recruited self help women, youth groups, and churches committees in Kakamega County to protect springs and to boil water before they drink.
- Identifying the springs that need attention.
- Making healthy, nutritious food available to the community to boost immunity.
- Community education for both adults and youth to create awareness of the water-borne diseases.
Elements of action plan:
- Providing Information and Enhancing Skills: Used public health officers of the government to educate members of the Butsotso Central community.
- Modifying Access, Barriers, and Opportunities: Those that lived close to water springs banded together to protect the open water source.
- Changing the Consequences (incentives and disincentives): Group community work (protection of a water spring in the community) leads to social cohesion.
- Enhancing Services and Support: Elicited support from self-help women groups, youth groups, and church committees.
- Modifying Policies and Broader Systems: Consulted with the Government water ministry in charge of the region to help in protecting target water sites.
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