SWIFT Story of Sustainable Change: Working with a local utility to get much-needed water to residents of Lodwar, Turkana
Publication date
2016-04-01Subject
HumanitarianApproach and methodology
Gender
Governance and citizenship
Health
Food and livelihoods
Private sector
Water, sanitation and hygiene
Keywords
Capacity buildingCommunity building
Corporate responsibility
Health promotion
Local Government
Maternal and child health
Natural resources
Participation
Renewable energy
Resource scarcity
Water and sanitation
Sustainability
Sustainable development
Humanitarian practice
MDGs
Millenium Development Goals
Women's Economic Leadership
WEL
Development methods
Livelihoods
WASH
Country
KenyaMetadata
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SWIFT Stories of Sustainable ChangeDocument type
Case studyDescription
The town of Lodwar is the driest spot in the arid county of Turkana in northwest Kenya. Getting water to the town's residents is the responsibility of a private utility, the Lodwar Water and Sanitation Company (LOWASCO), and has long been a problem.
Under the SWIFT programme, Oxfam has been working with LOWASCO to overcome the challenges it faces: mapping the water supply to facilitate funding proposals, installing solar-powered pumping systems to avoid high running costs, and building management capacity.
More than 30,000 residents now receive clean, safe water directly to their homes. Regina Aemun describes the difference it has made to her family, and how they now enjoy better health, better food – and being able to bathe whenever they want.