Due to the lack of water and poor sanitation, starvation and diseases for both human and domestic animals are wide spread in the semi arid areas. There are no clean latrines in schools, shopping and health centres. This leads to the frequent outbreak of communicable and water borne diseases which make it very difficult to undertake any meaningful training on proper hygiene in the communities.

There are some options for getting water into the community but they are expensive. Some of these options are: creating boreholes at strategic points; forming water oriented groups to construct dams along all perennial rivers; revitalising existing natural wells; and construction of household water storage tanks for harvesting rain water.

Poor sanitation and lack of water due to persistent draught has contributed to high incidences of faeco-oral infections, infestation of worms and diarrhea diseases. Malaria remains the leading cause of out patient morbidity. This could be attributed to climatic and environmental conditions which favour multiplication of mosquitoes. TVT, therefore, is in the process of mobilizing support from partners to provide water and household latrines to families, schools and health centers in Tigania West.

There will be need to undertake a major awareness raising campaign and continue with training of the local communities to acquire full ownership of the health and sanitation projects in their respective villages. Through the free medical camps, TVT distributes free mosquito nets to mothers of children under 5 and the elderly. TVT plans on continuing support of women and youth groups to attend workshops where they would be trained on hygienic ways of living, and protection against malaria and water borne diseases. The trained groups will then receive support to help them pass their knowledge to their communities.