Water Supply and Sanitation

Rural Focus builds practical, effective and efficient water supply management systems anchored in best practice and a service delivery approach. Management systems require accountable governance structures, technical capacity, fiscal discipline, regulatory compliance, customer care and stakeholder involvement. Our approach aims to bring private, community/stakeholder and state entities together for improved services under a socially responsible commercialized approach.

Water Supply Services

Rural Focus has been contracted under private operator contracts to run several piped water projects. Services provided include water treatment and distribution, repairs and maintenance, revenue collection, procurement, accounting, customer care, billing, business planning, regulatory compliance, infrastructure improvements, and monitoring and reporting. RFL has successfully introduced M-PESA payment systems. RFL has developed its own billing management software which is successfully used in more than 20 water projects. RFL has been a key implementing partner in the Maji ni Maisha program which has enabled approx. 50 community owned water projects to provide water services through a package of technical and financial investments delivered through a blend of community equity, commercial loans and output based aid. RFL has provided technical services covering water resource and environmental assessments, project design, business planning, regulatory compliance, procurement, construction supervision, and operational and management capacity building.

Hygiene and Sanitation

Rural Focus is familiar with the PHAST, WASH and other participatory approaches in hygiene and sanitation training at the community level. Rural Focus has undertaken training in hygiene and sanitation as a compliment to water supply management training. RFL has key expertise and has effectively been used in the design of blueprints for proper sanitation in public schools and other government institutions.

Sanitation systems for households’ public institutions, and commercial enterprises, combined with hygiene training, is also often a component in integrated WASH programs.

Innovation and Technology

In collaboration with Oxford University, Rural Focus has successfully piloted a mobile based Smart Handpump project in Mwingi County which monitors handpump usage in near-real time and delivers a rapid and reliable maintenance service. Repair time has changed from an average of 40 days to 3 days.