Meet Caroline, Dig Deep's Country Manager in Kenya

Caroline has a background in development communication and community development from St Paul's University in Nairobi. She has extensive experience managing water and sanitation programmes across Kenya, working with various international NGO's before joining Dig Deep as the Country WASH (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene) Manager in 2014. She works with local partners and stakeholders to coordinate all of our water, sanitation and hygiene interventions.

We asked Carol to tell us about her work, her motivations and what aspect of her work she is most proud of

Women, children and girls are often the primary users, collectors and mangers of water in their household and they are the ones responsible for maintenance of proper hygiene within the households. The same group are the ones that are affected disproportionately by lack of safe water, adequate sanitation and improved Hygiene. Working in programs that focuses on addressing these needs particularly within rural marginalized areas has been an inspiration.

Dig Deep's vision to break the cycle of poverty through water and sanitation fitted with my personal inspiration, and I joined Dig Deep team as a Country Manager in 2014. In my role, I oversee the development and implementation of WASH programmes by ensuring they meet their objectives within the given timeframes. In my position I contribute towards the influence of policies and decision making related to School WASH at county and national levels, for example our work including menstrual hygiene management training as part of our WASH programs, a component that has been widely neglected. In addition I build and strengthen new and existing partner relationships.

Over the years, working with Dig Deep I have seen the change in lives of many girls through comprehensive MHM in schools program among adolescence girls which has resulted in retention of girls in schools as well as increased enrolment.

The Operation and Maintenance offered to water management groups has enabled women take up leadership roles as well as decision makers, as they are ones affected directly to issues related to water. E.g committees that are being led by women have proved to be very successful.