WATER AND SANITATION
Hikma Foundation is abreast in confronting the challenges faced in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene ( WASH) during the Post-Covid period. While there is concerted effort in addressing and enhancing access to clean drinking water and sanitation, most communities in the pastoral, arid and semi-arid areas still lack these basic services.
Most of the Kenyans (about 59%) that have access to safe drinking water reside in sub-humid to humid areas that adequate rainfall. The rest of the communities in arid and semi-arid regions still face protracted droughts exacerbated by climate change. Since 2000, access to safe drinking water has increased by 12 per cent, while access to basic sanitation has fallen by five per cent. In Kenya, 9.9 million people drink directly from contaminated surface water bodies and an estimated five million people practice open defecation. Only 25 per cent have hand-washing facilities with soap and water at home.
Hikma Foundation spearheaded the origination of the National Integrated Water, Food and energy for Sustainable Solutions (NIWFESS) framework – developed by Alex Oduor on Engineering interventions as well as Harun Yussuf on Educations interventions. NIWFESS has become the backbone for referencing towards addressing the climate change and poverty related challenges that negatively impact on learning conditions.
The NIWFESS WASH Pillar mainly focuses on ensuring that there is adequate water at appropriate qualities for drinking, cooking, washing, irrigation, sanitation and hygiene. To achieve this, Hikma Foundation employs innovating techniques and technologies that include: generation of water from thin air using the Israeli technology of Watergen. This is a technology present in more than 65 countries around the world, with Kenya being the first country in East and Central Africa to procure the machine through the National Council for Nomadic Education In Kenya (NACONEK); Further to this, Hikma Foundation aspires to promote the design, construction and buffering of water in truncated pyramid ponds and Sausage tanks. With adequacy of water guaranteed, WASH will become a pivotal pillar of Hikma Foundation to curb the spread of contagious diseases including COVID- 19. Establishment of weather proofed washrooms – including toilets that accommodates dignified use across gender and for people with disabilities.