Water Mission Mobilizing to Provide Safe Water to Mudslide and Flooding Survivors in West Pokot, Kenya
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Water Mission Mobilizing to Provide Safe Water to Mudslide and Flooding Survivors in West Pokot, Kenya
Staff Working to Provide Drinking Water and Safe Sanitation to More than 5,000 People
North Charleston, S.C. – December 10, 2019 – Water Mission, a nonprofit Christian engineering organization, is mobilizing to provide safe water and sanitation to West Pokot, Kenya, in response to the widespread flooding and deadly mudslides.
“Safe water is critical in any natural disaster and prevents the outbreak of waterborne illnesses, which can cause further devastation,” said Water Mission Kenya Country Director Moses Ngania. “Water Mission is also working to provide safe sanitation to ensure that those impacted have one less thing to worry about.” On November 22, heavy rains caused flooding that resulted in mudslides and killed more than 50 people. Water Mission regularly works in the region and has a permanent office in Kitale, Kenya. After an initial assessment, Water Mission responded by providing safe drinking water to 5,000 internally displaced people (IDP) at the Nyarkulian IDP camp through a Living Water Treatment System. Water Mission’s Living Water Treatment system is a patented technology that acts as a miniature water treatment plant that can purify more than 10,000 gallons of water per day – enough drinking water for 5,000 people. Each Living Water Treatment System is built by volunteers at Water Mission’s global headquarters in North Charleston, South Carolina. Water Mission staff in Kenya is also providing safe sanitation – including latrines and handwashing facilities – for those in an IDP camp at a local school compound in West Pokot to minimize the risk of waterborne illnesses, such as cholera. With more than 18 years of disaster response experience, Water Mission is well-prepared to respond to the needs of local communities with emergency and long-term safe water solutions. Timeline of Water Mission’s response efforts: • November 22: Heavy rains led to flooding and mudslides in West Pokot, Kenya. • Late November: Water Mission conducted an assessment. • December 3-5: Water Mission prepared to bring safe water and sanitation to Nyarkulian camp and met with county officials to coordinate disaster response efforts. • December 6-7: Water Mission deployed a disaster response team from its Kenya headquarters in Kitale. • December 7-present: Water Mission has set up a Living Water Treatment System that is being powered by a Kohler generator, with two water access points in the IDP camp. The team is also mobilizing the community and conducting WASH awareness training to prevent the spread of waterborne illnesses. The team on the ground is also training a system operator from the host community and the IDP camp. • Ongoing: Water Mission will continue to bury the piping from the nearby stream to the Living Water Treatment System, construct latrines and handwashing facilities, and continue to supply the treatment chemicals and generator fuel.
Survivors collecting safe water at water distribution tap in the Nyarkulian IDP camp.
A local operator trained by Water Mission tests the water quality at the Living Water
Treatment System set up at the Nyarkulian IDP camp.
About Water Mission: Water Mission is a Christian engineering nonprofit that builds sustainable safe water solutions for people in developing countries, refugee camps, and disaster areas. Since 2001, Water Mission has served 8 million people in more than 65 countries, sharing safe water and the message of God’s love. Water Mission’s global headquarters is in North Charleston, SC, and the organization serves people in Africa; Asia; and North, South, and Central America. Charity Navigator has awarded Water Mission its top four-star rating 18 in a row, a distinction shared by less than 1% of the charities rated by the organization. To learn more, visit watermission.org, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, or Twitter.
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