http://repository.must.ac.ke/handle/123456789/873 The activities and strategies employed by the institution to interact with the media and engage with the broader public 2026-07-20T16:07:26Z http://repository.must.ac.ke/handle/123456789/1644 Nakuru's Sanitation Revolution Riungu, Joy Nyawira; Kiogora, Dominic With support from the Water and Development Partnership Program and IHE, Institute for Water Education, the Sanitation Research Institute at Meru University of Science and Technology, in partnership with Nakuru Water and Sanitation Services Company Ltd, has developed the Nakuru Sanitation Revolution case study. The case highlights how Citywide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) has transformed service delivery in Nakuru, positioning the city as a model of innovation, inclusion, and sustainability in Kenya. As one of Kenya’s fastest-growing cities, Nakuru has faced mounting pressure on its sanitation systems due to rapid urbanization, population growth, and expanding informal settlements. Historically, limited sewer coverage, unsafe waste disposal, and environmental degradation posed serious public health and ecological risks. This case study documents how local leadership, development partners, communities, and private sector actors came together to reimagine sanitation, not merely as infrastructure, but as an integrated public service. The Nakuru Sanitation Revolution showcases scalable solutions, including sewer network expansion, strengthened fecal sludge management, and improved access to safely managed sanitation in low-income areas. Central to this transformation is the CWIS approach, which prioritizes equity, service delivery for all residents, and a mix of technical solutions tailored to diverse urban contexts. Beyond infrastructure, the case explores governance reforms, innovative financing, data-driven planning, and public-private collaboration that have enabled sustainable progress. Nakuru’s journey demonstrates that with vision, partnership, and inclusive planning, sanitation transformation is achievable and replicable for rapidly urbanizing cities across the region. 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z http://repository.must.ac.ke/handle/123456789/1643 Merit at the Crossroads: WASH Climate Change and Conflict Nexus Riungu, Joy Nyawira; Karani, Caroline; Kiogora, Dominic; Kirimi, Lilian ASALs at the Crossroads: Water & Sanitation, Climate Change, and Conflict Meru University of Science and Technology, through the Sanitation Research Institute (SRI), is proud to present the documentary on Water & Sanitation, Climate Change, and Conflict in ASALs: A case of Merti. This documentary is the result of a dynamic partnership between SRI, Sign of Hope, the German Toilet Organization, and the Merti Integrated Development Program. It shines a light on one of Kenya’s most pressing challenges, how communities in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) are navigating the complex intersection of water scarcity, climate change, sanitation breakdown, and conflict over natural resources. Once a thriving sub-county headquarters sustained by the steady flow of the Ewaso Nyiro River, Merti now finds itself at a turning point. The river that once nourished livelihoods has become seasonal, and boreholes drilled to meet community needs have either collapsed, been submerged, or fallen into disrepair. Of twelve strategic boreholes, only a handful remain functional, fueling competition and tension over scarce water resources. The film captures in vivid detail how climate extremes, from recurring droughts to flash floods, are reshaping daily life. Families lose their livelihoods, youth face growing despair, and women are forced into unsafe bushes to manage basic sanitation needs. Menstrual hygiene management is a living challenge. The spread of Mathenge (Prosopis juliflora), an invasive species once introduced to fight deforestation, adds another layer of complexity by consuming water, displacing native vegetation, and creating unsafe thickets where wild animals hide. Yet, Merti at the Crossroads is not just a story of crisis; it is equally a story of resilience and innovation. The documentary showcases community-driven solutions such as gabions and protective walls built to safeguard boreholes, the adoption of solar-powered water pumping systems, and the piloting of improved sanitation models that promise dignity and safety. These local actions, though small in scale, highlight the determination of Merti’s residents to adapt and build a better future. By bringing these realities to the screen, the documentary challenges us to reflect on the urgent need for research-driven policies, inclusive interventions, and stronger partnerships to ensure sustainable WASH services in the face of climate change. It is both a moving human story and a rallying call for governments, researchers, practitioners, and development partners to act decisively. Water & Sanitation. Climate Change. Conflict. The future of ASALs- depends on how we respond today! 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z http://repository.must.ac.ke/handle/123456789/1642 The Status of Water Sanitation and Hygiene Provision in A Peri-Urban Setting : A case of Nchiru Meru. Riungu, Joy Nyawira; Karani, Caroline; Mirara, Simon; Kirimi, Lilian; Mutuma, Benson Water, sanitation, and hygiene remain among the most urgent development challenges in many peri-urban communities across Kenya, where rapid population growth often outpaces the provision of safe and dignified services. In Nchiru, Meru, this reality is felt in everyday life: households, institutions, and vulnerable groups continue to navigate the consequences of inadequate sanitation systems, limited waste management options, and persistent public health risks. These pressures are not merely technical concerns; they shape human dignity, environmental safety, and the overall quality of life within the community. The Status of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Provision in a Peri-Urban Setting: A Case of Nchiru Meru brings this challenge into sharp focus. Guided by the work of Meru University of Science and Technology through the Sanitation Research Institute, the documentary highlights both the scale of the problem and the urgency of practical, locally grounded solutions. At the center of this conversation is an innovative response with transformative potential: the use of Black Soldier Fly technology to convert fecal waste into usable resources. This approach reimagines waste not as an inevitable burden, but as an opportunity for resource recovery, environmental protection, and improved community wellbeing. More than a reflection on current gaps, this work is a call to rethink sanitation in peri-urban spaces through innovation, resilience, and research-driven action. It challenges policymakers, practitioners, and communities to move beyond temporary fixes and invest in systems that are sustainable, inclusive, and responsive to local realities. In telling the story of Nchiru, the project opens a wider conversation about the future of WASH in Kenya and demonstrates that with bold ideas and committed partnerships, even the most persistent sanitation challenges can become pathways to lasting change. 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z http://repository.must.ac.ke/handle/123456789/1641 Water, Hygiene and Sanitation (WASH) in Urban Informal Settlement Riungu, Joy Nyawira; Karani, Caroline; Mirara, Simon; Kiogora, Dominic Within Nairobi, informal settlements occupy roughly five percent of residential land yet house more than sixty percent of the population a figure projected to double within fifteen years in one of Africa’s urbanising capitals. This study is positioned in the tension between that growth and the basic services meant to absorb it. The WASH profile is stark. Households here have markedly lower access to safe drinking water and consistently fail national sanitation standards. Communal facilities, where they still exist, are shared among hundreds and break during heavy rains; menstrual hygiene services are, for most women and girls, absent or improvised at personal cost. Sustainable Development Goal 6 commits the international community to adequate, equitable WASH for all by 2030. In developing-country contexts, however, Kenya’s slum-upgrading targets remain uneven outside formal land-use planning, widening the gap between city metrics and household experience. Climate variability heavier rains, prolonged dry spells, and flash floods in low-lying settlements further destabilises these fragile systems, contaminating shallow wells and destroying pit latrines. Women and girls bear the heaviest burden, often managing menstruation without safety or dignity. Children, meanwhile, face developmental risks extending well beyond infrastructure gaps. Yet the story is not solely one of crisis. Across the city, residents, community organisations, and local utilities have piloted community water kiosks, container-based sanitation, women-led menstrual-hygiene cooperatives, and school WASH clubs — responses that show how services can be delivered in dense, low-income urban areas. Against this background, the study examines water, sanitation, and menstrual hygiene in selected informal settlements of Nairobi, linking household-level evidence with SDG 6 indicators. It aims to inform WASH interventions that are both locally grounded and nationally relevant, with implications for Kenya’s SDG 6 trajectory. 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z