County Departments of Education, Health, and Water have developed activities with Amref Health Africa in Kenya for the Sustainable and Inclusive Water Access (SIWA) project that is set to benefit the refugees and host community in Turkana West Sub-county.

The three-year Danish-funded project expects to strengthen governance and management and improve water access and WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) services targeting the communities as well as primary schools and ECDE centers.

While opening the co-creation workshop, County Executive for Education Leah Audan highlighted that the SIWA project covered four priorities out of the Governor’s Nine-Point Agenda.

“Access to water is still a challenge for ECDE Centres as the project will be working with those centers next to primary schools, consider including those far from the national government-run schools,” she said.

The Ag. USAID Imarisha Jamii Chief of Party Dr Evans Osembo, assured the County Officials of Amref’s support through strong partnerships that “lasting health change” can benefit the local residents.

According to the Director for Public Health, Alfred Emanman, 70% of the diseases in Turkana are sanitation-related thus lauding some of the project’s components such as the support for community-led total sanitation (CLTS) activities.

The Deputy Director for Water Project Planning and Design, Eng Fredrick Rukoo, stressed the importance of including measures against water contamination.

CECM Audan appreciated the partner’s support with the county to address some of the water challenges.