Effects of Inclusive Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Interventions on Access Among Vulnerable Households Receiving Cash Transfers in Makueni County, Kenya

Individuals with limited mobility, including people with disabilities (PWD) and older persons (OP), often encounter obstacles in accessing water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services because facilities do not meet their needs. Kenya’s cash transfer program seeks to enhance dignity, promote inclusion, and provide social protection for vulnerable households of OP (70+), PWD, and orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC). A combination of cash transfers with other supportive services, often referred to as "Cash plus," has been shown to improve non-monetary aspects of human development among targeted households. Conducted in Makueni County, Kenya, this quasi-experimental study assessed households’ ability to make WASH facilities accessible (usable) for OP and PWD, investigated how inclusive WASH interventions affected access for OP and PWD, and analyzed how the intervention influenced expenditure priorities of households under the cash transfer program. Quantitative data was collected using individual questionnaires, with a total of 223 respondents. The study found a significant difference between the intervention and control arms in improved water storage practices (p0.00); improved household water treatment practices (p