For years, Mildred Akinyi, a resident of Kibera, paid little attention to messages from community health promoters urging residents to handle water safely, wash their hands regularly and maintain proper sanitation in their homes.

But it was not until illness struck that she began to appreciate the consequences of neglecting basic hygiene practices.

Akinyi fell ill and spent four days at Mbagathi Hospital, where she was treated for cholera in 2023.

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“I used to see Shofco community health promoters moving around, telling us to wash our hands, treat our drinking water and keep our surroundings clean. Sometimes, I would listen and go on with my life because I did not think these things could affect me personally,” she says.

Akinyi is now among 200 community health promoters engaged by Shining Hope for Communities (Shofco) to promote safer hygiene practices and prevent the spread of waterborne and other diarrhoeal diseases in Kibera.

As the world prepares to mark Global Handwashing Day on October 15, the experience of residents such as Akinyi highlights the importance of turning hygiene awareness into practical action in communities where access to sanitation services remains a challenge.

Shofco says it has reached 81,696 through Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) on sanitation between January and September 2026. The organisation is also working with 65 schools and 15 health facilities to strengthen hygiene education and infection prevention.

Nicholas Mutia, Kibera Sub-County Infection Prevention and Control Coordinator, says health records show a notable reduction in cases.

Between January and June 2026, the sub-county recorded 527 diarrhoeal cases. From June to the end of September, a further 123 cases were recorded.

“We are closely monitoring the numbers because diarrhoeal diseases can spread quickly in densely populated communities. The figures we are seeing are encouraging, and hygiene awareness has an important role to play in preventing infections,” Mutia says.

He attributes the progress to hygiene awareness activities spearheaded by Shofco and the 15 health facilities serving the area.

Dr Kennedy Odede, Shofco’s founder and chief executive, says there has been urgent need for Shofco to scale up water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services for the past two years following the exit of USAID-funded programmes that previously supported interventions in Kibera.

“Our decision to sustain and expand WASH activities in Kibera was informed by the progress communities had made, particularly in the fight against cholera. We could not afford to watch those gains disappear because programmes that supported essential services had ended.

“Since 2023, no cholera cases have been reported in Kibera, and protecting that progress must remain a shared priority,” Odede says.

The organisation currently serves 55,000 people with clean aerial piped water in Kibera.

John Musau, Kibera Sub County WASH Coordinator, says Shofco and local health officials have established Village Sanitation Committees, formed health clubs in 65 schools, supported health talks in 15 health facilities and organised community clean-ups.

“Following the exit of USAID-funded programmes, there was a real risk that some of the progress made in sanitation and hygiene would be lost. Shofco’s continued support has helped us maintain activities that are essential to protecting public health,” Musau says.

He says Village Sanitation Committees are helping communities take responsibility for their surroundings, while school health clubs are teaching children habits they can practise at home and carry into adulthood.

Francis Odera, chairman of Community Health Promoters in Kibera, says they have made progress in teaching residents the importance of collecting and disposing of rubbish rather than allowing it to accumulate around homes and public spaces.

He, however, warns that the absence of an adequate dumping site remains a major obstacle, leaving residents and community teams with limited options after collecting waste.

“We need the government to provide a proper dumping site and reliable waste collection in Kibera. Community education will only achieve so much if the infrastructure needed to maintain cleanliness is missing,” he says.

At Joysprings Educational Centre, headteacher George Onyango says support from Shofco has helped the school improve water access, hygiene education and ablution facilities.

“Handwashing was a challenge because we did not always have enough water. Even when children knew they needed to wash their hands, it was difficult to make that a consistent practice.

“We are seeing improvements in attendance, and we believe that keeping learners healthy is an important part of ensuring they remain in school,” he says.