WEFTA

At Kuju Health Center, a new solar-powered groundwater system became operational during VHP and WEFTA's 2025 visit. The system now provides reliable water to support the healthcare facility.

Reliable water means healthcare workers can wash their hands, clean delivery areas, and provide safer care for mothers and newborns.

Reliable water →
Cleaner environments →
Better infection prevention →
Safer births

However, safe healthcare requires more than water alone. The assessment also found that the facility's biohazard area does not yet meet Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) standards. Plans are already underway to reconstruct the area.

This is what continuous improvement looks like. Every assessment helps identify the next opportunity to make care safer.

When WEFTA and VHP visited Chiruharoot Health Center in 2025, we found that the facility had been without water for more than a year after the community water system failed.

Without reliable water, healthcare workers face enormous challenges. Handwashing becomes difficult. Cleaning and disinfecting equipment becomes harder. Infection prevention measures are compromised.

No water → Limited handwashing → Higher infection risk → Less safe care for mothers and babies

During the assessment, a replacement solar-powered pump was being installed to restore water service. Once water is restored, additional improvements to the facility's biohazard area will help strengthen infection prevention practices.

A healthcare facility cannot provide safe care without reliable systems behind it. That is why VHP and WEFTA continue to monitor facilities, identify risks, and invest in long-term solutions that protect mothers, babies, and healthcare workers.

Civil engineer Nathan Stormzand has been volunteering to assist with water and sanitation projects in developing countries since 2008. He began offering his services to WEFTA in 2024 after noticing a call for volunteers in the National Peace Corps Association’s WorldView Magazine.

When asked what makes him want to be a part of the WEFTA mission, Nathan states, “I really like how WEFTA leverages the knowledge and skills of professionals here and abroad, but makes sure that local people, organizations, and agencies are ultimately responsible for the planning, construction, and maintenance of the systems put in place. The idea is that WEFTA is there to support but not control, which I personally feel is very important to this type of work.”

Read more about Nathan’s positive impact:
https://www.wefta.net/2026/06/30/nathan-stormzand-wefta-volunteer-keen-on-supporting-not-controlling-wash-projects/

Nathan Stormzand: WEFTA Volunteer Keen on Supporting, Not Controlling WASH Projects - WEFTA Contributing in Ways “Meaningful and Beneficial”

Happy World Environment Day! In western Kenya’s Kakemega County, WEFTA is proud to support an initiative of its in-country partner, SAWASHI, that integrates water access with environmental sustainability. By planting over 1,200 fruit trees at community sites supported by SAWASHI-installed water systems, the project improves food security, nutrition, and livelihoods while promoting climate resilience through carbon sequestration, soil restoration, and environmental education.