Jeremiah Ouko Magar

My work mainly addresses SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation and SDG 1: No poverty. The community I live in is dependent on shallow wells, streams, and unprotected springs as sources of drinking water. Increased population pressure has meant small pieces of land continue to be subdivided further among family members; this has contributed to a large number of families settling for shared, unimproved sanitation facilities, with some still practicing open defecation.

During dry seasons, women and children spend a considerable amount of time getting water. Sadly, the water sources are sometimes contaminated. Drinking water from such sources without treatment has only exacerbated sanitation problems and increased the burden of disease. This has kept people in the vicious cycle of poverty, which in turn prevents them from accessing opportunities and inhibits their abilities to unlock their full potential. Sustainable access to safe drinking water and proper sanitation will help enable people to explore life possibilities.

I believe the cycle of poverty as a result of poor WASH practices can be broken. For this to happen, implementers need to acknowledge that although provision of technology to address WASH challenges is a step in the right direction, it must be coupled with the development of local human capacity for the benefit to be sustainable.

Poor WASH practices continue to bar individuals from realizing the possibilities outside of the cycle of poverty. Many organizations, including government, NGOs, CBOs, and development partners, are keen on freeing people from these adversities; however, some organizations continue to face challenges with the effective implementation of initiatives, the need for capacity development, and the ability to understand available options. I feel the urge to contribute to bettering this capacity now as it will have a far-reaching impact on the community. The SDGs have to be made a reality. Living by them today means I have time to impact more communities, so why wait until tomorrow?

Talking about WASH (especially with themes like faeces) is not one of the fanciest things to do, but if better water, sanitation and hygiene practices are changes we want to see, we must embrace doing so. Young people need not shy away from addressing WASH issues, as they have a direct impact on our future. We need to take charge and engage with our leaders and communities, and most importantly, seek to be engaged by volunteering or undertaking internships with ventures that provide opportunities to tackle WASH issues.