More than half of the global population does not have access to safe sanitation. More than three billion people do not have access to handwashing facilities with soap and still 673 million people practice open defecation. The consequences of unsafe water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) on children and the general population can be deadly, especially 700children under the age of 5 years die of diarrhea diseases due to lack of appropriate WASH services.
Gold Star Kenya focus on a holistic approach to addressing this. The approach include protection of natural water points which is key to access to safe water. This approach contains environmental conservation, especially on the origin of the streams. To ensure the safety of the water, Gold Star Kenya works with communities to decrease open defecation and advocate for community behavior change on this front.