CFAO Mobility Kenya Limited in collaboration with Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers (KVM), Toyota Kenya Foundation, and Goal Setters Foundation, has launched the Maji na Ufanisi: Transforming Hand Hygiene for Learners in Kiambu County project.

The Ksh. 1.2 million initiative, funded through the global CFAO Solidarité CSR grant scheme, directly targets critical Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) infrastructure gaps across local schools.

The official launch took place at Githunguri Ranching Primary & Junior School in Ruiru Sub-County under the national theme “Promoting Hand Hygiene for Healthy and Dignified Learning.”

In its initial phase, the project benefits five public primary and comprehensive schools across the Ruiru and Thika Sub-Counties, impacting a combined student population of 11,507 learners.

Key components of the initiative include:

  • Gender-Sensitive Infrastructure: Constructing and installing functional, accessible handwashing facilities suited for all students.
  • Capacity Building: Equipping teachers and school leaders with specialized training to champion hygiene standard practices.
  • Student-Led Engagement: Establishing structured School Health Clubs to reinforce daily hand hygiene routines and turn knowledge into long-term habits.
  • Community Ownership: Engaging parents, school management committees, and surrounding communities to ensure the long-term upkeep and sustainability of the facilities.

While physical infrastructure forms the backbone of the project, the partners emphasize that lasting success relies heavily on sustainable behavioral change.

Speaking on the initiative’s scope, Mrs. Josephine Opoku-Bekoe, General Manager of Human Resources at CFAO Mobility Kenya, noted that addressing critical hygiene gaps is vital to creating safe, supportive learning environments that keep children in school and prevent preventable illnesses.

Building on that vision, Njoki Mwaura, Chief Executive Officer of Goal Setters Foundation, highlighted the necessity of community-backed solutions.

“To ensure that the facilities and hygiene practices introduced through the programme are maintained and sustained beyond the life of the project, the initiative will promote community ownership by mobilising parents, school management and the wider community to participate in and support the initiative,” said Mwaura.