Water

What's the challenge?

Across the Horn of Africa, multiple years of poor rainfall and high temperatures have killed crops, pasture, and livestock. In some regions, the extended drought, which is now the longest in around 70 years of reliable rainfall records, has brought communities to the brink of famine. Our experience organising emergency water provision through water trucks during the 2022 drought in Somaliland was a catalyst for our water mission. As temperatures rise, Somaliland, Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya are expected to experience even more frequent and severe drought periods, the effects of which will be magnified by (or will magnify) underlying political and economic vulnerabilities. This trend will place a further strain on the region’s limited water resources, exacerbating food insecurity, destroying household assets, displacing populations, and increasing the risk of disease and conflict.

What we’re doing about it.

Our water mission is to ensure that people and communities across Africa have access to a safe and affordable source of water. We have already created a network of water infrastructure points and reservoirs, which has reduced the average distance that people have to travel to access water, especially in rural Somaliland. In Ethiopia, we have upgraded the water supply coverage in Assosa town by 8%, while also providing 24-hour water supply to Assosa General Hospital. Beyond providing new water infrastructure, we are now looking to scale up our impact across Africa and provide a systemic solution to water scarcity. Because a systemic solution to water scarcity must also improve the quality and affordability of water, the resolution of the water problem will require the cooperation of partners which have more expertise in solving these specific aspects of the problem.