People in northern Kenya struggle to find drinkable water

DW (English)

In northern Kenya, Turkana and Marsabit counties struggle to get fresh water. Until now, the saltwater Lake Turkana in between them has not been a source of drinking water. But the United Nations is helping people in villages find new solutions.

Transcript

00:00At dawn in Mojto village, Acino Lobok balances empty jerrycans on the dusty road to the river.

00:06It's a routine she knows too well.

00:11Because I have a business, I wake up at six in the morning, I rush to the river,

00:17I get water and I bring it home. Then I go to work.

00:22It's a journey of around two kilometers for water that is unsafe to drink,

00:27but it's the only option available. Lobok is a mother of four and runs a small shop.

00:34But the daily struggle for water often puts our livelihood on hold.

00:40We need help accessing clean water. We are forced to close our businesses, to go fetch water.

00:51And during that time, we lose customers.

00:57In Mojto, as many Kenyan communities, women and children spend hours each day searching for water.

01:04And when they find it, it often carries disease.

01:08A lack of fuel and water purifiers makes the situation worse, especially for children.

01:14It causes complications like diarrhea. But we continue to drink it without even boiling or using water purifiers.

01:24According to UNESCO, nearly half of people in Marsebit and three-quarters in Turkana live with moderate to high water insecurity.

01:31In between them is Lake Turkana, the world's largest desert lake, and a lifeline for nearly half a million people.

01:40But it had not been systematically studied for more than 50 years.

01:45Now, a Dutch-funded USKN WFP project is mapping how to secure clean water and sustainable livelihood.

01:52We are going to do a feasibility study to identify potential areas where we can intervene in terms of

02:01coming up with either boreholes or is it feasible to treat the lake water.

02:08Water scarcity is not just a Kenyan problem. Globally, nearly one in four people lacks safe drinking water,

02:16threatening health, education and livelihoods. Back in Moite, Lobok's player remains.

02:24The water we do get is dirty and bitter. I urge the government to provide clean water

02:31for the health of both children and adults.

02:37Until then, the daily walk to the river will continue.

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