A community hygiene activation held in Mariakani last December by Detrex Soap in partnership with the Kenya Progressive Nurses Association (KPNA), is now being cited as a practical model for bridging preventive healthcare and everyday sanitation in water-stressed communities.
The initiative at the Bomu Hospital reached more than 200 women and children, combining expert-led hygiene education with frontline health engagement. While modest in scale, organisers say the activation reflected a broader shift toward preventive health interventions that start at the household level.
At the centre of the programme were demonstrations by KPNA nurses, who led practical sessions on effective handwashing techniques under constrained water conditions, an everyday reality for many families in Mariakani. Community health workers reinforced the sessions with discussions on disease prevention, maternal responsibility, and child health.
“Handwashing remains one of the most cost-effective public health interventions available, yet it is often underestimated,” said Rajul Malde, the Commercial Director at Pwani Oil Products Limited, which manufactures Detrex. “What we saw in Mariakani was genuine engagement, with mothers already understanding the risks, and only requiring practical tools and consistency.”
Mariakani, like many fast-growing settlements along Kenya’s coastal corridor, faces chronic water scarcity. This challenge is reflected in Kilifi County’s water deficit, currently standing at a staggering 75 per cent, severely constraining access to safe and reliable water. Health workers say these conditions significantly raise the risk of waterborne diseases and skin infections, particularly among children under five. In such environments, hygiene education must be adapted to scarcity rather than ideal conditions.
“We demonstrated how to wash hands properly even when water is limited, because that is the daily context for these families. When mothers see that good hygiene is still achievable, it changes behaviour,” said KPNA’s Triza Ireri.
Community health workers involved in the activation noted that trust played a decisive role. Detrex had previously engaged health workers in similar outreach programmes, allowing the Mariakani event to build on existing credibility rather than start from scratch.
“People listened because they recognised us,” said one community health worker. “When hygiene messages come from familiar faces and are backed by practical support like soap, they move from theory into daily habit.”
In addition to public education, the activation distributed Detrex hygiene kits to participating households, reinforcing the link between knowledge and access. Public health experts noted that such community-level interventions are increasingly important as health systems face pressure from preventable diseases.
“The lesson from Mariakani is that if we are serious about healthier communities, hygiene has to be treated as a shared responsibility involving families, healthcare providers, and industry,” said Malde.
Related Content: Data Integrated Limited And Toyota Kenya Set Up Handwashing Facilities At City Bus Termini
