Home » WaterStep opens training center in Senegal

WaterStep opens training center in Senegal

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (July 23, 2018) – One in ten people on the planet do not have access to safe water, and Africa is one of the worst-affected regions for waterborne illness. The problem is huge, but the solutions are simple.

A partnership between two Louisville-based non-profits is allowing communities in Africa to have easier access to the tools and training they need to take care of their own safe water and sanitation needs. On July 11, WaterStep and Global Solidarity Initiative launched a training center in Dakar, Senegal where representatives and officials from several organizations including the Senegalese Ministry of Good Governance and Child Protection, UNICEF and USAID were shown demonstrations on how to use WaterStep’s safe water tools. The sessions were led by Dakar-based trainers who’ve been working with WaterStep equipment for years. Upon completion of the course, attendees were then given equipment to install in the regions of Touba and Dakar, where it will provide safe water to the city’s impoverished children.

The facility in Dakar will host trainings for people from across the region, and it will also serve as a storehouse for WaterStep’s tools and equipment. Now the equipment will be more readily available for communities, clinics and hospitals that need safe water and sanitation.

WaterStep’s award-winning tools used to provide safe water and disinfectant include; the innovative M-100 chlorine generator, which can provide thousands of gallons of safe water each day; the portable bleach maker, which provides medical-strength disinfectant; and the WaterBall, which is designed to carry water over long distances and rugged terrain.

WaterStep implements water projects using a comprehensive approach that includes installing safe water systems paired with health & hygiene training for the community. This method has proven to be successful and sustainable as a long-term solution to drastically improve overall health. The organization is currently working with 18 partners throughout Africa, including Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Liberia, Uganda, South Sudan, and Malawi.

The training center in Dakar was possible thanks to support from UNICEF. To learn more, call (502) 568-6342 or visit waterstep.org.