The Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) a non-governmental organization (NGO) has launched a water project in Kibera in Kenya.
The Organisation’s Founder and CEO Dr. Kennedy Odede performed the launch ceremony and said the project is aimed at providing clean and safe water to 40,000 residents of Kibera daily. The US $4M initiative includes the installation and operationalization of six boreholes and five water treatment plants.
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Meeting water demand
Dr. Kennedy Odede, SHOFCO’s Founder and CEO, emphasized the project’s importance, particularly in improving sanitation through an aerial water piping system that ensures the safe delivery of treated water to consumers.
This 13-kilometre water project is set to benefit not only Kibera residents but also 47 schools and five health centres in Kibera and Lang’ata sub-counties, offering free water to these institutions. Dr. Odede, who grew up in the Kibera slums, expressed pride in the project, highlighting the significant impact of providing clean water directly from the source.
Water will be distributed via a digital system across 52 water kiosks, with SHOFCO offering water at Ksh3 per unit, significantly lower than the prevailing Ksh30 rate. This pricing aims to ensure affordability and prevent waterborne diseases, reinforcing the principle that “water is life.”
During the launch, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, representing Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, praised the project as a transformative investment for Kibera. He highlighted its role in addressing the critical water shortage in Nairobi, where the daily demand for water significantly exceeds the supply, leading to a shortfall of 260 million litres per day. Senator Sifuna expressed hope that such projects would help bridge this gap and ensure a reliable water supply for Nairobi residents.