The United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), launched the U.S. Government Global Water Strategy High Priority Country Plan for Kenya announcing more than $100 million in new Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) activities.
Clean water and sanitation facilities in Kenya will be enhanced over the next five years.
USAID’s investments will increase access to basic or improved water services for 1.6 million people and provide basic or improved sanitation to 1 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.
Ambassador Meg Whitman said, “I’ve seen firsthand the impact that water security and access to sanitation have on people’s lives. The issue of water security will remain a challenge in Kenya and around the world for the foreseeable future. By working together, we will find solutions.”
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.
