Our Christmas Newsletter
Dig Deep Ambassador’s Club
We are delighted to have launched the Ambassador’s Club and Ambassador’s Wall in the past week. Our Ambassadors Club seeks to recognise those who have made significant or recent contributions to Dig Deep. We simply couldn't do what we do without the amazing support we receive from fundraisers, donors, supporters and friends & family. We believe that each contribution has been a drop that has created ever expanding ripples of change. To find out how you can join the Ambassadors Club and help us to transform lives, see here.
Looking back on a great 2017/18
It is a little over a year ago since we celebrated our Dig Deep 10th Anniversary dinner in London and we are now entering our new financial year. During the past year, a lot has been achieved. Those who attended may remember that at each table at the dinner there was an envelope that contained information on a specific school where we were planning projects, 7 in all. We have, in the past year, completed our projects at 6 of those 7 of schools, started the final one, as well as 8 projects at other schools and communities. It has been a busy year and we look forward to sharing our impact report soon.
Pioneering agreement with Kenyan Government
In the past months, Dig Deep has signed an agreement with the Kenyan Government to co-fund sanitation programmes in Bomet County. This is the first time such an agreement has been reached and is the result of very careful relationship building, by Country Manager Justus Tanui, with the County Government. Dig Deep is not the long-term solution to Kenya’s water and sanitation problems, the Government is. This new joint venture places new responsibilities on provision from the County and is a step towards an achievable and sustainable plan for Bomet.
Ben Skelton and Justus Tanui meeting with the County Officials
We are incredibly proud of this. It is very important to us that Kenya provides what it can in terms of resources to fix its own problems. There may not be enough for every priority right now but the 72 schools that could benefit from the partnership in the next 3 years will demonstrate increased attendance and attainment that will be reported on in Parliament. I had the great pleasure of meeting with Dominic Kosgei MP during my last trip to Kenya as well as a great deal of other Parliamentarians to promote the necessity of taps, toilets and training in Kenyan Schools.
News from the field
This month we completed sanitation projects at Irbaan School, Sekenani School and Naigara Clinic in the Masaai Mara and are currently working at Kamugeno and Kapsiongo School in Bomet County. We have commissioned projects at Tabietuk and Oldebesi Primary in Bomet too so the run in to Christmas will be a busy one.
New Latrines at Sisei School earlier this year
Link Your Loo
In November we launched our Link Your Loo campaign. By Linking Your Loo with a loo in one of the Kenyan communities or schools we work with, you will help us alleviate disease which keeps parents from earning and children from learning. You will receive your very own certificate which can be framed and proudly placed on the back of your bathroom door or above your loo for all to see. Dig Deep employs a two pronged approach to ending open defecation. We educate and encourage households to build their first loos and we also build latrine blocks at schools.
A great Christmas present for those hard to buy for friends and family members! The campaign has got off a to a flying start and many thanks to those of you who have already Linked Your Loo.
On behalf of the UK Dig Deep Team we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,
James, Ben, Jessica, Rachael, Simon, Nina and Mick.
And Nakutakia Krismasi Njema from Justus and Nelly in Kenya!