As part of its week-long celebration of World Water Day (March 22), The Coca-Cola Foundation (TCCF) through its Replenish Africa Initiative (RAIN) announced reaching over 580,000 Kenyans and 6 million people in Africa with access to clean water and sanitation.
RAIN, launched in 2009, is TCCF’s flagship clean water program in Africa contributing to helping countries across the continent achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals on clean water and sanitation (SDG 6). Today’s 6-million-person achievement is the result of a collective effort from over 300 international and local public, private and civil society partners. To mark the World Water Day 2021, RAIN partners gathered virtually today for a panel discussion to mark the achievement of the program and share best practices for replication from the program.
In Kenya, RAIN implemented 11 projects across the country. One of them was in partnership with Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP) a not for profit company that worked with local authorities to impact more than 580,000 urban residents across five cities and towns – Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Naivasha with improved access to clean water and sanitation and empowerment activities.
In Nairobi a total of 549 sewer connections each serving 30 households and 1,920 plot connections each serving 20 people in Nakuru were installed. This has enabled communities in the served areas to live in dignity.
Over the course of the past decade, RAIN has improved access to clean water for communities, schools, and clinics across 41 African countries as well as enhanced access to hygiene and promoted better hygiene behaviors. The program has also enabled the economic empowerment of people by creating opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship, and skills generation. In addition, RAIN has helped to protect critical watersheds, supported several African utilities in coping with the rapidly growing water demand in cities, and delivered essential hygiene items and personal protective equipment to help slow the spread of COVID-19.