The Kenya Red Cross Society will continue collaborating with both state and non-state actors to address perennial water shortage in North Eastern region occasioned by prolonged and persistent drought.
Speaking in Sankuri, Balambala Sub-county during an inspection tour of the Sankuri Water Project, the Kenya Red Cross Society Secretary-General, Dr. Asha Mohamed, said that the Society will continue to support projects geared towards provision of safe drinking water for both domestic and livestock use in the region.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) through the Kenya Red Cross Society funded the water project that is supplying water to area residents, learning institutions and a Chief and Administration Police camp.
Sankuri Water Project includes solar panels, gen sets and pipping system that connects water to the institutions and area residents.
“There are two elevated tanks that hold 100,000 liters of water. It will serve 90 percent of the population. This amount of water which if put into good use will help alleviate not only the water shortage but save women and children time they use to go and fetch water,” Dr. Mohamed said.
Nadhifa Abdirashid, a resident thanked the organization for the kind gesture, noting that many lives have been lost through crocodile attacks on residents when fetching water from the River Tana.
The Secretary General said that the Society will continue to work closely with other relevant partners, including the County and National governments.
“For us water is one of the key areas of intervention. It is to have not only water but good quality and safe,” she added.
“We are also working with other stakeholders to ensure that communities will have water that can help them do their own agricultural activities to ensure that they are food secure. This will also go a long way in ensuring minimum conflicts over the precious commodity,” she added.
Communities, especially those residing along the border have in the past fought over pasture and water, especially during drought.
She said they were also working to ensure that communities from both sides get water to prevent conflicts over the resource.
“For us, we are enacted as an auxiliary to both National and County governments. Ours is to complement their efforts. We do not just come with an intervention that does not fit into the framework of the County. If it’s missing then we bring it on the table for discussion,” she said.
She disclosed that the society has lined up new projects that they intent to implement in Modogashe Sub-county, noting that her tour will help in discussing the same and doing start up.
Earlier, Dr.Asha led her team in donating assorted equipment to the County of Garissa among them drugs and facemasks delivered with the support of UNICEP and UNFPA. They will also distribute food in parts of the County.
By Jacob Songok
