Residents of Nyakach can finally breathe a sigh of relief after years of struggling with water scarcity, thanks to a new partnership between an American NGO, EM3, and the Kisumu County Government.
The collaboration has launched critical water projects in Michura and Obange Secondary School, aiming to provide clean, potable water to thousands of residents in an area plagued by prolonged drought and erratic rainfall patterns.
For years, communities in Nyakach have endured the harsh reality of water shortages, forcing women and children to trek long distances sometimes up to 10 kilometers in search of water.
The available sources, often unprotected wells and seasonal rivers, expose residents to waterborne diseases and the constant risk of contamination.
Speaking during the handing over ceremony for the project, Kisumu Deputy Governor Dr. Mathews Owili emphasized that the intervention was timely, given the dire need for sustainable water solutions in the region.
“Access to clean water is not just a necessity it is a lifeline. These projects will go a long way in improving health, education, and economic activities for our people,” Dr. Owili stated.
Beyond the ongoing initiatives, he revealed that another major water project, worth Ksh 68 million, was in the pipeline.
This Sigoti Water Project, set to be implemented through a partnership with Living Water International, he said was expected to significantly boost water availability across Nyakach, ensuring that more schools, health facilities, and households gain access to safe drinking water.
“This will be the largest water project in Nyakach and will supply clean drinking water in Central Nyakach, West Nyakach, North Nyakach and East West Nyakach wards,” he said
So far, he said phase one and two of the project has been completed with the construction of the main tank at Sigoti expected to be completed soon.
The county government, he said, was committed to ensuring availability of clean piped water to all households in the area.
“We will continue to leverage partnerships with organisations like EM3 and Living Water International to ensure that we scale up water coverage in the county,” he said.
During the launch, some 500 widows also received food donations from the Kenya Red Cross to cushion them against the effects of drought.
“We are in Mid-February and as you can see the farms are dry. This has a very huge impact on the household economies and we are happy that these food rations will go a long way in supporting the affected families,” he said.
Local residents have welcomed the development with optimism, noting that it will not only ease their daily struggles but also improve sanitation and reduce the burden on school-going children who often have to fetch water before attending classes.
“This will change our lives. We have suffered for too long, and clean water means healthier families and more time for productive activities,” said Esther Achieng, a Nyakach resident.
EM3 Director Scott Megan said the NGO will continue to partner with the county government to ensure that more households have access to clean water.
With climate change intensifying water challenges in arid and semi-arid areas, such initiatives are seen as a crucial step toward building resilience and ensuring that communities no longer have to rely on unpredictable weather patterns to meet their water needs.
As the first taps begin to flow in Michura and Obange, Nyakach residents are hopeful that their days of walking miles for a bucket of water are finally coming to an end.
By Chris Mahandara