The United States government has committed $100 million (Sh13 billion) to enhance water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) activities in Kenya.
The project dubbed the US Government Global Water Strategy High Priority Country Plan for Kenya will be implemented through the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
It is aimed at enhancing clean water and sanitation facilities in the country over the next five years.
USAID’s investments are expected to increase access to basic or improved water services for 1.6 million people and provide basic or improved sanitation to one million people, mobilizing roughly $130 million for the sector.
USAID will work with other organizations, governments, and communities to address the global water crisis as an additional $600 million is needed annually to reach universal coverage by 2030.
US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman said the issue of water security will remain a challenge in Kenya and around the world for the foreseeable future.
“I’ve seen firsthand the impact that water security and access to sanitation have on people’s lives…By working together, we will find solutions,” she said.
The US embassy in Kenya said the challenges of providing sustainable and affordable water and sanitation services are “particularly significant for communities in Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) areas and the growing number of informal settlements.”
“The high variability in rainfall across the country over the past three years has led to frequent and prolonged droughts and floods in some areas, exacerbating the challenges of water scarcity. Climate change is predicted to worsen this situation,” the embassy said on Monday.
