WASH Alliance Kenya (WAK) reaffirmed its commitment to advancing water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) initiatives in Bungoma County during a high-level courtesy call with county officials on September 17, 2025. The meeting brought together WAK’s leadership and senior representatives from the Bungoma County Government to review progress, reflect on past achievements, and chart a new phase of collaboration in the fight against poor sanitation and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
Discussions focused on strengthening existing partnerships and aligning future interventions with county development priorities. Both parties highlighted the gains already made through joint initiatives, including hygiene promotion campaigns, school WASH programs, and increased awareness of the link between sanitation and NTD prevention.
The County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Environment, Climate Change, Water & Natural Resources, Dr. Andrew Wamalwa, underscored the county’s continued commitment to working with WASH Alliance Kenya. He noted that the county’s goal remained to ensure that every household and institution had access to safe water and improved sanitation, emphasizing that partnerships with organizations such as WAK were critical in accelerating progress toward universal WASH coverage and disease prevention.
WASH Alliance Kenya’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Tobias Omufwoko, acknowledged the impact of the collaboration and expressed the Alliance’s commitment to further supporting Bungoma County in scaling up sustainable WASH solutions. He explained that the focus going forward would be on expanding access to safe water, strengthening school WASH interventions, and building resilient systems that would benefit communities for generations.
One of the key outcomes of the meeting was the agreement to finalize a renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) within two weeks. The MoU will serve as a framework for expanded cooperation in infrastructure development, behavior change communication, and joint planning for county-wide WASH programs.
Through this renewed collaboration, Bungoma County and WAK aim to accelerate progress toward universal access to water and sanitation services while contributing to the elimination of NTDs across Western Kenya.
Access to clean water and improved sanitation was emphasized as not only a development priority but also a foundation for public health, education, and dignity. The meeting reiterated that poor sanitation remains one of the leading drivers of neglected tropical diseases such as trachoma and intestinal worms, which continue to affect vulnerable communities. By strengthening WASH systems, Bungoma County and WAK are tackling these challenges at the root, protecting health outcomes, and enabling communities to thrive.
WASH Alliance Kenya reaffirmed its broader commitment to working with counties and communities across the country to scale up sustainable WASH solutions. The strengthened partnership with Bungoma County was highlighted as a step forward in expanding access to safe water and sanitation while driving the wider agenda of eliminating NTDs and building healthier, more resilient communities.
