More Water, More Life: How a Village Found Hope in the Heart of Drought

By Dan Oloo and Temidayo Ibitoye

July 17, 2025

Woman in a brown patterned shawl standing outside a rustic building amidst greenery. — Meimuna Ismael, a 23-year-old mother from Griftu, stands outside her home. Once burdened by long treks for water, she now enjoys easy access to clean water

Daniel Oloo

As the sun rises over Griftu, a village in Wajir County, Kenya, it casts a a warm glow across the land , perhaps a small sign of hope in a place where drought has shaped daily life for many years.. Here, like in many other places, water isn’t just a resource, it’s the pulse of survival.

For Meimuna Ismael, a 23-year-old mother in a bustling homestead of 23, people, mornings once meant a two-kilometre trek in 40-degree heat just to fetch water.

“On many days, we have to carry the jerrycans on our backs, since we can’t afford to pay for a donkey or a handcart to transport the water,” she says, her voice steady but tinged with the memory of constant exhaustion from the daily chore.

“Five jerrycans cost Ksh.100, ten cost Ksh. 200. It was never enough,” she adds. Her family’s need for safe drinking and cooking water has been hard to sustain. Meanwhile their clothes stayed unwashed, dishes piled up, and idea of planting a garden felt like a distant dream.

Across Griftu, in another household, Chief Mohamed Noor Hassan witnessed the same struggle in Kuruman Village. “Water was always a problem for almost 5 years now,” he says, as he surveys the dusty landscape. “The old system broke down. The population grew and demand rose sharply over a short period of time. Too many people, not enough water. Mothers and children spent hours looking for and fetching it, leaving no time for anything else.” Chief Mohamed explained that the weight of scarcity wasn’t just physical, it wore on the spirit and affected the mental health of the women and children, especially.

But in June 2025, everything began to change.

The “More Water, More Life” project, a partnership between the Wajir County Government, Kenya’s Ministry of Water, the UNDP Resilience Hub for Africa and UNICEF, brought a new water supply system to Griftu. The project is more than a borehole. It’s a lifeline for over 9,200 people and nearly 5,000 livestock, a promise of relief in a region severely affected by climate change.

At the project’s heart is a 454-meter-deep borehole, one of the deepest in East Africa, was drilled after a UNDP and UNICEFstudy pinpointed a reliable groundwater source. A solar-powered pump, backed by a generator, pulls up six cubic meters of water per hour, feeding two 60,000-litre towering steel tanks. From there, water flows to a kiosk for families to collect, a filling station for tankers, and troughs forLivestock.

A 3.2-kilometer pipeline ties the system to Griftu’s existing water network, managed by the Wajir Water and Sewerage Company (WAJWASCO). A fenced water yard, complete with a guard house, drainage, and lighting, protects this precious resource, while an access road and parking make it practical for daily use.

Water towers stand against a bright sky, with a small building nearby and scattered clouds. — Two 60,000-litre elevated steel tanks in Griftu, part of the new solar-powered water system serving over 9,000 residents and 5,000 livestock.

Temidayo Ibitoye

“This isn’t just about water today; it’s about resilience tomorrow. We want Griftu to be a model.

Dr Zeynu Ummer, Director UNDP Resilience Hub For Africa

For Meimuna, the change was immediate. “When we heard water was here, we were so happy,” she says, her eyes watering as she describes the day the tap near her home was opened. “We finally had enough clean water for me and my family. We even washed our clothe and cleaned our utensils. For the first time, I thought about planting and growing crops to provide extra and nutritious food for my family.” The water tap, just steps from her home, replaced the long walks and heavy loads, freeing hours for her to dream beyond survival.

Chief Mohamed was elated when the taps were installeds and sees the broader impact. “Water that is near to us changes everything,” he says. “It’s not just for drinking, it’s for cooking, washing, feeding animals. It gives people time to work, to rest, to live.” He helps his young daughter fetch clean drinking water from the installation near their homestead without the stress of distant treks.

“This project belongs to us,” he adds firmly. “UNICEF and UNDP helped build it, but we’ll keep it running by guarding it and caring for it.”

During the project’s official launch at the yard, attended by representatives from the community, the county government, UNDP and UNICEF, it was clear that the initiative was already having a strong impact.

H.E. Ahmed Muhumed Abdi, Wajir’s Deputy Governor, sees the project as a critical resource for the county. “It’s an honour to host this type of infrastructure in Wajir,” he says. “Already, thousands are benefiting, including our livestock. This water will continue to support livelihoods for years to come. The county is committed to oversee the system in close collaboration with WAJWASCO to ensure all-year round supply of safe water for communities.”

The project is designed for lasting change. Over nine months, from June 2025 to February 2026, the contractor will train WAJWASCO staff to operate and maintain the system, from managing solar panels to monitoring tariffs for household and livestock use. A four-wheel-drive vehicle will help the utility respond to issues quickly, while training for WAJWASCO’s board ensures strong governance.