Water supply and sanitation project in Turkana County (2015-2019)
In 2015 WaterFinns Ry launched a new project in Kenya with then local partner GWAKO (Ground-Water Abstraction in Kenya Outreach). The Project had at its aims to provide water supply and sanitation services to selected rural schools and villages in Turkana County, norther Kenya, which is one of the more underdeveloped and poverty stricken areas in the country.
In December 2014 WaterFinns was granted project funding from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland (MFA). Consecutively, implementation started at the end of 2015, aiming to repair and rehabilitate dysfunctional water wells in the project area. In addition, ca. 10 new wells with water pans and 10-20 hygienic latrines were to be built, and also plans to educate the communities in the proper ways to operate and manage the mentioned facilities were included.
The first phase of the project was implemented successfully, as GWAKO and WaterFinns agreed on the project contract and established a field office in northern Turkana. Before implementation, the selection of target villages was discussed with the county council in order to make sure that the project supports the County’s overall development strategy in the best possible way. Following consultations the project work plan was updated and community based organizations established in target villages. Soon thereafter WaterFinns personnel also conducted a monitoring visit to the project area.
During 2016, the second year of implementation, it came to light that GWAKO had fallen behind the agreed schedule, stated in the project contract and was unable to provide adequate accounts on work done as well as reporting regarding finances. Following further delays and an additional monitoring mission to the project area by WaterFinns staff, it became clear that GWAKO was unable to continue project implementation and cooperation was terminated, and search for a new implementing partner was undertaken.
After the project had been on hold a few years for ongoing probes and clarification to the activities and shortcomings of the partner, MFA confirmated on summer 2019, that this project will be cancelled without a continuation with a new partner on site.