Kenya has an extremely high under-5 child mortality rate that is largely attributable to the fact that, although the country has a high annual rainfall, accessibility to potable water is very low. Only 41% of rural populations have access to clean water, which leads to a high incidence of water-borne disease in rural areas. Most people collect their water from streams and open wells where it is often contaminated by human waste. These areas also tend to be breeding grounds for malaria-carrying mosquitoes. Combined with little awareness of the links between health and hygiene, this lack of access to potable water leads to a very high incidence of water-borne disease, such as Guinea worm and dysentery. Children are especially vulnerable to these diseases and a significant proportion of child death has diarrhoea as its cause. The fact that less than 40% of primary schools have a potable water point both has a negative impact on children’s health and limits the possibility of teaching children about health and hygiene in schools, as it is not possible to demonstrate good practice. During the dry season, local water supplies such as streams often dry up which means that it is necessary to travel considerable distances to collect water. As this is traditionally the role of girls and women, frequently girls must miss classes because they are sent to fetch water, whilst women lose time that they need to devote to other activities such as income generation. The provision of a clean water source therefore not only positively impacts the health of families, but also improves their chances of obtaining an education and increasing their income, which will help towards lifting them out of poverty EXPECTED IMPACT This project will have a vital, positive impact on the levels of childhood morbidity and mortality in the area. It is expected that school attendance and attainment will improve as the children suffer less from water-borne diseases. It is anticipated that the provision of water to the wider communities. Together with training sessions in health and hygiene, will lead to a significant reduction in child deaths due to preventable illnesses such as diarrhoea. Women and girls will benefit from a nearby water source during the dry season when they would usually be expected to spend hours walking a long way to collect the family’s water. The skills gained by those involved in the WMCs and SHCs are vital to understanding water management and managing successful community-based projects. This capacity building will be extremely important to the long-term development of the communities. BUDGET Activity Cost (£) Drilling of 3 boreholes 21,270 Installation of 3 hand-pumps 3,563 Training of 3 School Health Committees 656 Training of 3 Water Management Committee1,781 Total £27,270