LocationsTransforming Lives: UNDP and UNICEF's Mission to Secure Water in Borderlands
October 4, 2023
Water knows no borders, yet access to this life-sustaining resource has been a longstanding challenge in the arid landscapes of Africa's borderlands. Nowhere is this challenge more pronounced than in Wajir County, situated at the crossroads of Kenya and Somalia. However, a beacon of hope is shining through the joint efforts of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), who have partnered on a groundbreaking project called "Climate Resilient Water Management and Governance in the Wajir (Kenya - Somalia) Borderlands."
A Tale of Water Scarcity and Its Consequences
In Wajir County, water scarcity has haunted communities for generations. This scarcity, in turn, has triggered a cascade of afflictions, from rampant diseases to grinding poverty, and has stolen precious hours of labor from the local populace. However, beneath this seemingly barren land lies a hidden treasure—a vast reservoir of underground water resources. These untapped aquifers hold the transformative potential to reshape the socio-economic fabric of the region.
The Horn of Africa, where the Wajir is situated, has been grappling with a 73-year-long drought, affecting the lives of 36 million people and necessitating urgent humanitarian assistance. For many in this parched expanse, the unrelenting drought and lack of water access have become a cruel cycle of displacement, cross-border conflicts, and illicit transactions, all of which cast a shadow on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Local Community Members
A Vision for Change
Acknowledging the need for a radical transformation, UNDP and UNICEF have embarked on a visionary mission to confront the water challenges that have plagued borderlands for too long. The joint mission is an embodiment of the phrase "water is life." Both UNICEF and UNDP employ access to water as the key that unlocks the door to comprehensive borderland development.
Understanding the Context: Wajir County
Wajir County, a vast expanse covering 56,000 square kilometers, houses approximately 780,000 people and five million livestock. Here, life revolves around three primary sources of water: boreholes, shallow wells, and water pans. In this harsh environment devoid of permanent water sources, water trucking plays a pivotal role, ferrying this life-giving elixir to settlements and pastoral points. In this parched region, boreholes stand as lifelines, sustaining roughly 400,000 people and three million livestock through the recurrent droughts.
Borehole in Wajir
The Challenge in Griftu Town
Griftu town, the administrative hub of Wajir West sub-county, stands at the epicenter of a water crisis. With just one functioning borehole and a meager assortment of shallow wells, the town grapples with a dire shortage of water. This precarious situation impacts over 2,000 households and 680,000 livestock.
Under the auspices of UNICEF, Griftu town is poised to benefit from an ambitious deep borehole project, reaching a depth of 480 meters—a record in Kenya. This high-yield borehole represents a pivotal stride towards quenching the town's thirst and confronting the looming water crisis head-on.
A recent joint mission to Wajir helped both UNDP and UNICEF to gain a comprehensive understanding of the primary water sources within the county. These sources—boreholes, shallow wells, and water pans—form the backbone of water supply in the region. Evaluating their status and effectiveness has been vital to shaping future interventions. During the mission, an assessment of informal water sources, with a particular focus on the practice of water trucking was done. This method of water delivery played a pivotal role in supplying water to 115 settlements and over 200 pastoral points. Understanding its efficiency and reliability is essential in ensuring the water needs of these communities are met.
The partnership between UNDP’s Africa Borderlands Centre (ABC) and UNICEF underscores their unwavering commitment to comprehensively address these water challenges. The "Climate Resilient Water Management and Governance in the Wajir (Kenya - Somalia) Borderlands" project is scheduled to span from January 2024 to December 2026, focusing intently on Griftu Camp, nestled near the Kenya-Somalia border region, with a direct and transformative impact on 9,221 individuals.
The project is structured around five essential pillars, each serving a critical role in its holistic approach. The first pillar, "Strengthening climate-resilient water management and governance," establishes the foundation for climate-resilient water infrastructure and a robust operational framework, encompassing tasks like feasibility studies, infrastructure design, construction, and community engagement, all aimed at ensuring sustainable and equitable water access.
The second pillar prioritizes "Supporting borderland economic resilience," with a focus on enhancing livestock and crop production, fortifying value chains, and improving water use efficiency to elevate economic opportunities in the region. The third pillar, "Strengthening borderland micro and small enterprises," empowers women and youth-led businesses by providing access to finance and comprehensive entrepreneurship training, fostering a thriving ecosystem of small-scale enterprises. The fourth pillar, "Cross-border mobility and trade strengthened," directs strategic investments into vital infrastructure like market facilities and water distribution systems, unlocking increased trade opportunities and enhancing resilience against water supply limitations. Finally, the fifth pillar, "Cross-border peace sustained, and social cohesion strengthened," addresses conflicts exacerbated by water scarcity through analysis and the capacity-building of local peace-building structures, aiming to promote social harmony and stability within the borderlands.
The Road Ahead
The Climate Resilient Water Management and Governance project in Wajir symbolizes a momentous stride towards enhancing the lives of those inhabiting this arid region. By directly addressing the root causes of water scarcity and implementing an integrated approach, UNDP and UNICEF are spearheading a drive towards a more sustainable, conflict-sensitive, and resilient future for the people of Wajir. This project serves as a radiant beacon of hope, spotlighting the remarkable transformation that can be achieved through collaboration, innovation, and unwavering dedication, even in one of the most demanding and challenging environments.
As we cast our gaze toward the horizon, the success of this visionary initiative promises to not only better the lives of the people of Wajir but also to stand as a shining model for borderland development across the globe, demonstrating the unparalleled transformative power of equitable access to water.
