By Matilda Atieno
In a transformative move for safe drinking water, the County Government has officially flagged off a consignment of 879 LifeStraw Community water purifiers earlier today. The initiative, led by the CECM for Education, Technical Training, Innovation, and Social Services, Hon. John Awiti, marks the launch of a robust campaign to eliminate waterborne diseases in Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres across the county.
The donation is provided through the LifeStraw “Give Back” program, the culmination of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in 2025. Hon. Awiti highlighted that the department envisions a future where every child in pre-primary and primary schools has access to safe, high-quality drinking water.
The program specifically targets institutions currently lacking safe water or situated in regions highly prone to waterborne illnesses.
By utilizing point-of-use filters, the partnership ensures water is purified instantly on-site, eliminating microbial contaminants and turbidity without the need for electricity or chemicals.
This transformative health rollout spans the entire county, with Seme receiving 197 purifiers across 57 schools. Kisumu East, receiving 152 units for 56 schools, while Kisumu Central is set to equip 37 schools with 148 purifiers. The impact extends to Muhoroni, where 31 schools will receive 98 purifiers, as both Nyakach and Nyando are slated to receive 63 units each for 12 and 24 schools, respectively. Completing this county-wide safety net, Kadibo secures 35 purifiers for 15 schools, while Kisumu West rounds out the initiative with 12 purifiers heading to 50 schools.
Once deliveries are complete, a specialized team from both LifeStraw and the County government will conduct a series of school visits from February 9th to 20th to lead official launches and provide staff and students with essential training.
The initiative represents a significant upgrade from standard filtration; Daniel Oliviero, Program Lead for LifeStraw, describes them as rugged, high-capacity tools specifically engineered for high-volume, demanding environments. Each purifier is a powerhouse of durability, capable of serving approximately 100 children for up to five years or filtering a staggering 100,000 liters of water.
At the heart of this innovation is a two-stage membrane technology that instantly eliminates bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. Perhaps most importantly for remote areas, the design requires zero energy, operating entirely without power or batteries to provide a reliable and sustainable health solution where it is needed most.
Beyond health benefits, this partnership supports climate change adaptation. The LifeStraw program is registered under the Gold Standard as a carbon credit project. Traditionally, schools must boil water using firewood to make it safe; these filters prevent the release of greenhouse gases and save schools significant fuel costs. “We are helping communities purify water without using unclean energy mechanisms,” Oliviero explained.
This initiative is part of a global movement that has reached over 14 million children since 2014, funded by a portion of every LifeStraw product sold worldwide. While the current phase covers 282 schools, CECM John Awiti has called upon LifeStraw to expand the reach to eventually include all public institutions within Kisumu County.
