By Rose Delilah Gesicho

As part of their community service project, a group of six students refurbished the bathrooms and installed a functional water pump in the remand section of the Lang’ata Women’s Maximum Security Prison. This initiative aimed at promoting the health and dignity of women awaiting trial by enhancing sanitation and access to clean water, reflecting the university’s commitment to transformative community engagement as well as its alignment with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Established in 1960, Lang’ata Women’s Prison is the largest female correctional facility in Kenya, accommodating approximately 750 inmates at any given time. The main prison houses around 600 convicted inmates serving their sentences, while the remand section holds about 300 women awaiting trial or sentencing. The institution plays a critical role in the country’s justice and rehabilitation system, with a mandate to ensure secure custody while fostering the transformation of female offenders into responsible and empowered individuals.

The team’s initial visit to the institution to assess the condition and identify major pain points revealed that inadequate water supply to the bathrooms, poorly equipped facilities lacking proper tiling, and deteriorating wall conditions were some of the main challenges in the remand section. Unlike the main prison, which benefits from relatively modernized facilities, organized rehabilitation programs, and more space for inmate activities, the remand section was characterized by older infrastructure, limited space, and insufficient facilities. This has contributed to challenges such as overcrowding, inadequate privacy, and restricted access to essential resources such as water.

Based on these challenges, the team’s primary objective was to enhance the living conditions of the inmates by undertaking an initiative that would yield a long-term impact. A self-funded initiative by the six students, the project cost a total KES 125,590. Through collaborative effort and resource pooling, we were able to make meaningful progress towards enhancing the facility’s sanitary conditions and water accessibility. This entailed putting tiles on the bathroom floors, plastering the walls, installing a water pump, and partnering with inmates who are currently undertaking vocational training to provide labor, giving them an opportunity to develop practical skills while contributing to their own living environment.

This project was a valuable demonstration of student-led social impact. By transforming shared bathrooms in the remand section, they restored dignity and improved living conditions for women awaiting trial. Beyond the tangible outcomes, the project contributed to policy goals around equity, justice, and inclusion.