Impact of water, sanitation and hygiene interventions in Kenya - A Case Study

Improved water, sanitation and hygiene practices are crucial to the improvement in the livelihood of any community. Pragya Kenya’s WASH project aimed to improve domestic water supplies as well as impact on the health of the community members within Laikipia and Samburu counties in Kenya. With the implementation of the WASH project, the interventions have effectively addressed some of the key issues thereby improving family health and livelihood among the community members. Appropriate interventions were made to improve domestic water supplies through revitalization and protection of water sources, construction of rainwater harvesting structures as well as construction of Eco-san toilets. The project also created awareness in schools and within the communities through training of water sanitation councils to promote practices that ensure reservation and proper conservation of water sources.


A Case Study




Mrs Lydia Kisersian,  a 36 year old mother of 2 children (Jesinoi, 13yrs old and  Kereiyo, 7yrs old) lives in Mkurian village in Laikipia north. She has benefitted greatly from the rain water harvesting structure that has been constructed a few meters from her homestead. This water source, though it’s not able to store water for the entire dry season, has still saved her form commuting the long distance of 4km in order to fetch water from Olkinyei seasonal river. These trips used to take her 3 to 4 hours every day and shows able to make only 2 trips in a day. Since this water would not be sufficient for use in the homestead therefore her two children would make another trip in the evening after they got back from school. She is now able to get both domestic and livestock water from that source which is 100m from her homestead. This has been of great benefit to her since now she is able to engage herself in other activities that bring extra income to her family. She has joined a beading group where they make beaded ornaments like necklaces and bangles and sell in the market at a profit. Her children also get more time to concentrate on learning and doing homework other than fetching water after school.

 [Lydia (seen below) who has benefited from Pragya’s WASH project, which has seen construction of rainwater harvesting structures.)

Improving access to quality education for pastoralist communities in Turkana county (northern Kenya)

Thomas Cook Children's Charity supported Pragya on a project establishing Education Resource Centres equipped with learning aids; audio visual and ICT equipment; in selected schools in Kenya. The project aimed at improving access to quality education for pastoralist communities in Turkana county (northern Kenya). The support received from TCCC was utilised for establishing 6 Education Resource Centres, equipped with quality educational material and equipment, to improve both teaching and learning in these disadvantaged areas, with a particular focus on girls.

Case Study - Canan Primary School

In 2011, Canan primary school was established to cater to the educational needs of the children from the growing IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) families. With 930 students and 14 teachers today, 95% of the school’s population (both teachers and pupils) comprise of IDPs. When Pragya Kenya visited the school, Mrs. Clementina Naita (shown addressing her pupils in the picture below) who is the head teacher termed the visit as “Timely and God sent”. 

She expressed how her school was deficient of basic amenities such as books and furniture. “I have no idea how to express my gratitude to both Thomas Cook Children’s Charity and Pragya Kenya for assisting Canan Primary school with materials that we’ve always wished to have but could not afford” said the head teacher. “My students now have an opportunity of getting exposed to a computer and learn how to use it at an early age” Mrs. Naita added. 


Students could not hide their excitement on receiving books, computer, a TV set and furniture. “Hiyo ni yangu!!  Hiyo ni yangu!!” (That one is mine! That one is mine!!), some younger children could be heard shouting while pointing at the computer and TV set.  Other teachers present also added that the material provided were very important to them as well because by watching, comprehension and retention capacity among the students would improve significantly. The teachers promised that they would make good use of the materials and take good care of them at all times.

Some of the happy moments...

You can make a difference

People in flood ravaged Jammu & Kashmir still need your help. You can make a difference.
Join our efforts: http://pragya.org/jammuAndKashmir-flood-relief-make-a-difference.php

Solar Wind Hybrid - embracing renewables for rural energy solution

Pragya has set up its third ‎Solar ‎Wind Hybrid System (‎SWHS) in Shyaso village, Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh, as part of its efforts to enhance energy access in the Indian ‎Himalayas to improve quality of life in rural households. (View Photographs from the installation process) 

The jubilant Shyaso villagers inaugurated the facility in presence of the Block Development Officer. The combination of solar and wind ‎energy would ensure continual generation of power in this high altitude village - day-and-night, summer-or-winter.

The SWHS technology is ideal for stand alone systems for remote rural settlements. This innovation had won The Energy Globe Award (2005) for the pilot in the neighbouring district of Lahaul & Spiti, Himachal Pradesh.

View an update on IUCN quarterly newsletter. 

Medicinal plants cultivation in Himalayas - visit from Agarwal Foundation

Ms. Hillary Gumbar of The Agarwal Foundation visited Pragya's field endeavours in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, India. Pragya has been working with the rural communities to promote cultivation of medicinal plants as a sustainable livelihood option in the high altitude Himalayas. Women's groups and Farmer Experts are being facilitated in various districts to undertake cultivation and to prevent wild harvest of these rare and endangered plants.

Ms. Gumbar recounted her visit on her Blog ("Tales from the field").

Reaching out to people in flood hit Jammu & Kashmir

Pragya is currently working to respond to the needs of the affected people in the Himalayan state of Jammu & Kashmir that has been devastated by one of the worst floods in 103 years. With our field officers coordinating efforts from Srinagar and Jammu, Pragya is reaching out to flood-victims in Jammu, Reasi, Kulgam, Srinagar, Pulwama, Budgam, Anantnag, Baramulla and Bandipora districts, which are among the worst affected. (View map)

Our sincere thanks to Aarti Drugs Ltd., Agility India Pvt. Ltd., Amdocs Information Security, BP Foundation , Chambal Fertilisers & Chemicals Ltd, Crompton Greaves Ltd, Godfrey Phillips India, Happy World, Hitachi India Pvt. Ltd., Indian Cultural Exchange - Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, InterGlobe Aviation Ltd-IndiGo, Jet Airways (India) Ltd, Paul Wurth India, Perfetti Van Melle India Pvt. Ltd, SpiceJet Ltd, Vestige Marketing Pvt. Ltd., Young Managers Forum - JK Lakshmi Cement ltd. and all individual supporters who have helped us reach out to those in need. 

Thanks to our supporters, we have reached 9954 items of hygiene kits, 282 packs of baby food, 914 nutrition-packs for children, 102 medicine kits and bulk quantities during health camps, 13332 kg food grains and spices, and 330 ltr of cooking oil,8287 packs of ready-to-eat food items, 1949 blankets, 160 sets of utensils/emergency lights, 2148 ltr water and 22040 water purifying tablets, 914 warm wear kits for children, so far. Current efforts are focused on addressing needs for warm wear before winter sets in. (Read more about our outreach)

To join our efforts, please write to: research@pragya.org or call +91 9810188066.
(More information)

DEISPI workshop for educationally backward districts in India

The multi-stakeholder consultative workshop on DEISPI (Dynamic Education Information System for Planning and Improvement) ~ An Education Management & Information System for Tribal, Border, Hilly, Forested (TBHF) Districts in India was held on 5th November 2014 at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi,India. The workshop was supported by USAID under the 'All Children Reading: A Grand Challenge for Development' initiative, and was conducted by Pragya India. The event shared the learnings from the successful piloting of DEISPI with stakeholders in other educationally backward TBHF districts across India, as well as at the national level, and facilitating its uptake and implementation. The event sought to draw together national, state and district level institutions, governmental and non-governmental, involved in education delivery, with particular focus on TBHF districts, as well as educationists concerned with education policy, research, teachers' training and curriculum development to fine-tune the EMIS.

Along with the Guest of Honour, Prof. Peter Ronald deSouza (Senior Fellow - Centre for Study of Developing Societies, Board Member - NUEPA) and Distinguished Guest Dr. Huma Masood (National Programme Officer - Gender & Education, UNESCO), the workshop had participation from institutions involved in education delivery, with particular focus on TBHF districts as well as educationists concerned with education policy, research, teachers’ training and curriculum development. Participation was elicited from national and international institutions such as NUEPA, ACER, SSA Missions and State Education Departments, Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Institutions (SCERTs, SIEs, DIETs), District Education Departments and institutions hailing from TBHF districts. The event also provided the opportunity for key stakeholders from the 11 piloted districts, to share their experience and concerns in implementing DEISPI. 

The participative process brought out the need for modification in DEISPI Tools / Process / Methods of data collection and dissemination in TBHF districts across the country. Recognising that all TBHF districts are not alike , the participants of the workshop were divided into 5 working groups: TBHF with positive socio-political status, Border/peripheral TBHF, TBHF with chronic poverty, TBHF near mainstream economy and TBHF with significant socio-cultural barriers. The Chairs presented the results of the deliberations at the end of the session. (Glimpses from the event)