Thames Water hydrogeologist  Jamie Riches has just returned from a week in Kenya after visiting the country to view progress on project work to provide clean and safe water to a nation classified by the United Nations as ‘chronically water scarce’.

The groundwater resources specialist works at Thames Water Rose Kiln Lane office but devotes his personal time to international water aid charity Just a Drop, working as Kenya’s project officer.

Thames Water gives all its employees the chance to take two days out of the day job and dedicate time to a volunteering cause of their choice. Jamie Riches used his days as part of his trip to Kenya, visiting several projects in Makueni County.

Just a Drop provides support to some of the poorest and remotest regions in the world by constructing wells, boreholes, pipelines, hand pumps and latrines and establishing health and sanitation programmes.

Jamie said:

“Working with Just a Drop is very important to me as I get to use my technical skills for the benefit of communities needing assistance with that essential and basic human need for clean and safe water.

”By reviewing applications for funding, checking schemes are viable and advising on sanitation, I can really make a difference to the lives of people in Kenya.”

During his trip he saw first-hand the work carried out by Just a Drop’s local partner the Africa Sand Dam Foundation. The organisation builds ‘sand dams’, concrete dams built across riverbeds to catch and protect rainfall that would otherwise be lost to the ocean. Differing in design to more traditional earth dams, sand dams prevent mosquitoes breeding and the build-up of silt, and reduce water loss through evaporation, making them a much more practical option.

The Africa Sand Dam Foundation places a great amount of emphasis on working alongside communities to make use of their experience in using their natural resources.

Melissa Campbell, Just a Drop project manager, said:

“Jamie’s support is invaluable to Just a Drop. His boundless enthusiasm and energy has been so useful during long, hot, dusty days in the field visiting all our projects. His insight and specific expertise are essential to our aim of delivering truly sustainable projects that are helping to transform the lives of thousands of people.”

An estimated 10,000 children a year die in Kenya from diarrhoea caused by unsafe water and poor sanitation. Just a Drop works with the Africa Sand Dam Foundation to build sand dams; simple, low-cost and low-technology to hold rainwater and replenish groundwater supplies.