Horn of Africa Groundwater for Resilience Project

21/05/2026

Strengthening Safeguarding, Accountability and Survivor-Centred Response under HoAGW4RP | 19 - 21 May, 2026.

The Horn of Africa Groundwater for Resilience Project, Kenya, has taken an important step in strengthening its Environmental and Social Safeguards through the induction and training of the Project SEA/SH Committee — a governance body established to provide independent oversight of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment risk management across the project.

Over three days in Naivasha, the workshop brought together over 30 participants from across the project's full institutional structure — PCU staff, PIU coordinators from WRA, WSTF and RCGW, Sub-PIU county coordinators from all five ASAL counties, county HR Directors, Legal Officers, GBV Focal Persons, and social safeguards personnel.

During the first two days, the training equipped Committee members with the knowledge, clarity and practical tools to fulfil their mandate — centred on governance, accountability, survivor-centred response, and the systemic strengthening of safeguarding measures. It also reinforced critical boundaries: the Committee provides oversight and strategic guidance, and does not conduct investigations, interview survivors or undertake employer disciplinary functions.

Key areas covered included SEA/SH policies and procedures, the World Bank Environmental and Social Framework, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, Kenya's national SGBV legal frameworks, child protection and mandatory reporting, the No Wrong Door grievance mechanism, and applied case simulations on disclosure and case-handling scenarios.

The two days concluded with a formal commitment ceremony in which all Committee members signed their Code of Conduct, Confidentiality Agreement and Conflict of Interest Declaration, and formally acknowledged the SEA/SH Committee Terms of Reference — the governance document that will guide the Committee's work for the life of the project.

Day 3 transitioned to a dedicated Grievance Mechanism training for the National GRC — a cross-institutional body comprising Social and Environmental Specialists, SEAH leads, PIU coordinators, and Legal representation from the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation. Sessions covered the project's grievance mechanism structure, composition and roles of the National GRC, types of grievances and resolution mechanisms, online grievance logging, and monitoring and reporting frameworks.

Together, the three days embed the SEA/SH Committee and the National GRC within a single, coherent safeguarding and grievance architecture — ensuring that every complaint pathway, from community level to national oversight, is staffed, governed and operational.

This work is central to ensuring that HoAGW4RP investments are delivered with dignity, safety and accountability. As the project continues to support sustainable groundwater management in Kenya's borderland counties, safeguarding remains a core dimension of resilience — protecting not only infrastructure and services, but also the people and communities the project is designed to serve.

The Horn of Africa Groundwater for Resilience Project is a Government of Kenya flagship initiative implemented through the State Department for Water and Sanitation under the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, with financing from the World Bank. The project targets over 700,000 people across five Arid and Semi-Arid Land border counties of Turkana, Marsabit, Wajir, Mandera, and Garissa; through groundwater infrastructure development, aquifer conservation, and improved water management systems.

Ministry Of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Julius Korir

20/05/2026

What does groundwater cooperation look like when the water beneath one country may be sustaining communities in another?

Across the Horn of Africa, aquifers do not follow political borders. They move quietly beneath Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia and the wider region, supporting communities, livestock, agriculture and climate resilience in some of the most water-stressed landscapes.

This article reflects on the 6th IGAD Regional Learning Event, held in Nairobi, and explores why regional collaboration is becoming central to Kenya’s water security. It looks at the practical lessons emerging from the HoAGW4R project, from transboundary aquifer management and groundwater data systems, to operations and maintenance models, procurement bottlenecks, environmental and social compliance, and the growing need for shared responsibility.

At its heart, the article asks a simple but urgent question: if groundwater crosses borders, how should countries work together to protect it?

What does groundwater cooperation look like when the water beneath one country may be sustaining communities in another? Across the Horn of Africa, aquifers do not follow political borders. They move quietly beneath Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia and the wider region, supporting communities, livestock, ag...

18/05/2026

Implementation Support Mission Concludes with Wrap-Up Meeting Chaired by PS Julius Korir, CBS

The Horn of Africa Groundwater for Resilience Project (HoAGW4RP) concluded its May 2026 Implementation Support Mission with a wrap-up meeting chaired by the Principal Secretary, State Department for Water and Sanitation, PS Julius Korir, CBS.

The meeting brought together the Project Coordination Unit, implementing agencies including the Water Resources Authority (WRA), Water Sector Trust Fund (WSTF), Regional Centre on Groundwater (RCGW), participating county teams and the World Bank to review implementation progress, reflect on key mission findings and align on priority actions for the next phase of delivery.

Over the five-day mission, the project reviewed progress across its key components, including groundwater infrastructure development, aquifer assessment, Managed Aquifer Recharge, operations and maintenance models, groundwater information systems, environmental and social safeguards, procurement, financial management, communications, visibility and stakeholder engagement.

The project has recorded significant milestones across the target counties of Garissa, Mandera, Marsabit, Turkana and Wajir.

For Batch I sites, notable progress has been achieved in Turkana, Marsabit Lot I and Wajir, where contractors are actively on site. Beneficiary communities are expected to begin accessing water in some schemes by June.

In Mandera, works commenced in March following the issuance of NEMA licences, with mobilization, setting out and confirmatory surveys currently ongoing.

For Batch II sites, consultations with county leadership have been concluded and consensus reached. The identified sites have now been handed over to Design and Supervision Consultants to commence design work.

The mission also provided an opportunity to strengthen coordination with implementing agencies and counties, review progress on safeguards and community engagement, and reinforce the importance of data-driven groundwater development for long-term climate resilience.

HoAGW4RP remains committed to the equitable distribution of interventions across all target counties, guided by fairness, inclusivity, technical evidence and continuous stakeholder engagement.

We appreciate the leadership of the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, the continued collaboration of the World Bank, implementing agencies, county governments and all partners as we advance sustainable groundwater management, water security and resilience across the Horn of Africa region.

Ministry Of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Julius Korir Water Resources Authority Water Sector Trust Fund - WSTF Regional Centre on Groundwater Resources Education, Training & Research

14/05/2026

Day 3 | 6th HoA Groundwater for Resilience Regional Learning Event
Nairobi, Kenya | 13 May 2026

The 6th IGAD Regional Learning Event concluded today in Nairobi with a dedicated Training Day focused on strengthening technical, operational, and safeguards capacity for sustainable groundwater development across the Horn of Africa.

Building on the discussions from the first two days, country teams from Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia engaged in practical sessions aimed at improving implementation quality, strengthening compliance, and accelerating delivery under the Horn of Africa Groundwater for Resilience Programme.

The day focused on three key areas:

- Strengthening Environmental and Social compliance
Participants examined critical Environmental and Social issues in groundwater projects, including contractor compliance, safeguard requirements, implementation gaps, and the need for stronger coordination between project coordinators, engineers, E&S specialists, procurement teams and M&E teams.

- Enhancing technical capacity for groundwater development
The technical sessions covered test pumping, water quality assessment, groundwater modelling, feasibility studies, and the use of emerging tools to support borehole diagnosis, site selection and evidence-based decision-making.

- Improving design, supervision and quality control
Discussions also focused on water supply infrastructure design, including pumps, power systems and pipelines, as well as supervision, record keeping, drilling-site quality control and contract management to support long-term service delivery.

The event closed with reflections on key lessons learned, country-level action planning, and follow-up discussions on priority implementation issues, including procurement and financial management.

Day 3 reinforced a clear message: building groundwater resilience requires strong institutions, reliable data, accountable implementation, sound safeguards, and continuous regional learning.

In Kenya, the Horn of Africa Groundwater for Resilience Project is a Government flagship initiative implemented through the State Department for Water and Sanitation under the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, with financing from the World Bank. The project targets over 700,000 people across the five ASAL border counties of Turkana, Marsabit, Wajir, Mandera and Garissa through groundwater infrastructure development, aquifer conservation, and improved water resources management systems.

Ministry Of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Julius Korir

12/05/2026

Day 2 | 6th HoA Groundwater for Resilience Regional Learning Event, Nairobi, Kenya

Day 2 of the 6th IGAD Regional Learning Event provided a strong platform for country teams from Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia to exchange practical lessons, reflect on implementation progress and strengthen cross-country learning under the Horn of Africa Groundwater for Resilience Programme.

The sessions focused on key areas that are central to sustainable groundwater development and long-term service delivery across the Horn of Africa:

1. Learning from field experience
Country teams shared practical experiences on operations and maintenance (O&M) models, highlighting what is working, where challenges remain and how service delivery can be strengthened. Kenya presented lessons from results-based O&M pilots with counties, Somalia shared the Dhobley private sector model in Jubaland, while Ethiopia outlined an emerging service delivery framework informed by recent O&M workshops.

2. Strengthening groundwater data and knowledge systems
A poster session on the Groundwater Information System (GWIS) and country Management Information Systems (MIS) created space for discussion on data interoperability, knowledge sharing and stronger linkages between national and regional monitoring platforms.

3. Improving procurement and contract management capacity
Operational clinics on procurement and FIDIC contract management enabled country teams to engage with senior specialists on practical implementation bottlenecks, contract administration, and measures to support timely and effective project delivery.

The day concluded with country rapporteurs presenting key takeaways from the sessions, followed by an interactive learning quiz that reinforced the shared lessons and set the stage for the Training Day on 13 May 2026.

In Kenya, the Horn of Africa Groundwater for Resilience Project is a government flagship initiative implemented through the State Department for Water and Sanitation under the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, with financing from the World Bank. The project targets over 700,000 people across the five ASAL border counties of Turkana, Marsabit, Wajir, Mandera and Garissa through groundwater infrastructure development, aquifer conservation, and improved water resources management systems.


Ministry Of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Julius Korir Water Resources Authority Water Sector Trust Fund - WSTF Regional Centre on Groundwater Resources Education, Training & Research

11/05/2026

Day 1 | 6th IGAD Regional Learning Event

Day 1 of the 6th IGAD Regional Learning Event opened today in Nairobi, Kenya, bringing together IGAD Member States, the World Bank, CIWA, technical experts and implementing partners under the Horn of Africa Groundwater for Resilience Program.

Held under the theme “Strengthening Project Impact: Unblocking Bottlenecks to Accelerate Country Implementation,” the three-day regional learning event provides a platform for knowledge exchange, capacity building and strategic planning to support sustainable groundwater management across the Horn of Africa.

The opening day focused on regional progress, country implementation updates, groundwater recharge mapping, Groundwater Information Systems, feasibility studies and transboundary collaboration. Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia shared progress updates, with discussions highlighting key implementation bottlenecks, priority challenges and opportunities to accelerate delivery at country level.

Speaking during the opening session, Kenya Project Coordinator Dr. (Geol) Steven Okoth underscored the strategic importance of groundwater for regional resilience:

“As our regional demands grow and our climate becomes increasingly unpredictable, the management of our subsurface resources has moved from a technical niche to a central pillar of regional stability. We are no longer just monitoring levels; we are architects of a hidden infrastructure.”

Day 1 also examined how regional collaboration can strengthen groundwater monitoring, data exchange, recharge mapping, feasibility studies and joint technical initiatives, including work on key aquifers such as the Dawa, Shabelle and Northern Basement Aquifers.

The discussions reaffirmed the need for stronger partnerships, practical knowledge sharing and actionable strategies that improve groundwater development, protection and sustainability for present and future generations.

Ministry Of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Julius Korir Water Resources Authority Water Sector Trust Fund - WSTF Regional Centre on Groundwater Resources Education, Training & Research

09/05/2026

Five days. Four implementing agencies. Seventeen agenda sessions. One shared accountability framework.

This week, the Horn of Africa Groundwater for Resilience Project convened its May 2026 Implementation Support Mission; bringing together the Ministry Of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, the Project Coordination Unit, Water Resources Authority, Water Sector Trust Fund - WSTF, Regional Centre on Groundwater Resources Education, Training & Research, Sub-PIUs from all five ASAL counties and the World Bank task team.

In water security programmes of this scale and complexity, an ISM is not a ceremonial review. It is one of the most important delivery tools available to a project, the space where progress data meets field reality, where national narratives are tested against county experience; where discussion becomes action.

We've written about what this mission looked like in practice: the deep dives, the technical integration sessions, the safeguards reviews, the regional coordination work, and what the agreed actions mean for the road ahead.

Read the full article below.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-implementation-support-missions-matter-lessons-z6mke

How structured implementation support strengthens accountability Somewhere between the signed project document and the final beneficiary count, development programmes succeed or fail on coordination. Not vision.

08/05/2026

Day 5 of the Horn of Africa Groundwater for Resilience Project Implementation Support Mission focused on strengthening delivery, monitoring, communications, and accountability across the project.

The session reviewed the role of Nature-Based Solutions in supporting groundwater resilience, with the Water Resources Authority Authority presenting interventions such as water pans and sand dams aimed at enhancing recharge, conservation, and long-term sustainability in ASAL areas.

A key highlight of the session was the presentation of the HoAGW4RP project website, currently under development by the Communications Department. Once completed, the website will serve as a central information platform for the project, providing stakeholders, implementing partners, counties, communities, and the public with access to project updates, visibility materials, key documents, and implementation progress.

Further discussions focused on implementation progress, site reassessments, feasibility requirements, and the need to address bottlenecks affecting delivery. The Results Framework was also reviewed, with emphasis on data validation, indicator tracking, and ensuring that reported progress reflects actual implementation on the ground.

The mission also highlighted the importance of strengthening Grievance Redress Mechanism reporting, including the need for closer collaboration between communications and social safeguards teams to support timely documentation, feedback, and community engagement.

At the close of the session, the World Bank team noted that implementation has improved since the Mid-Term Review held in November 2025, while encouraging continued momentum, stronger coordination, and sustained focus on results.

Ministry Of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Julius Korir Water Sector Trust Fund - WSTF Regional Centre on Groundwater Resources Education, Training & Research Mandera County Government Wajir County Government Marsabit Water and Sewerage Company- MARWASCO

07/05/2026

Day 4 of the HoAGW4RP Implementation Support Mission focused on strengthening the systems that will sustain groundwater resilience beyond infrastructure delivery.

The day’s discussions reviewed progress across key technical and implementation areas, including borehole development, aquifer assessment, groundwater monitoring, environmental and social safeguards, county engagement, and the long-term sustainability of project investments.

A key focus was the role of exploratory and monitoring wells in improving groundwater data, supporting informed abstraction decisions, and strengthening planning for sustainable water supply in Kenya’s ASAL counties. The mission also emphasized the importance of aligning project activities with county development priorities, including aquifer development plans and water resource management systems.

The mission further reviewed how project activities can better support the capacity of county teams and implementing institutions. This includes strengthening skills in groundwater monitoring, operation and maintenance, data collection, interpretation and use, as well as ensuring that knowledge gained through consultants, contractors and technical partners is transferred to county officers and local institutions. This is critical in ensuring that the investments made under the project continue to serve communities long after implementation is complete.

Discussions also highlighted the importance of community ownership and stakeholder engagement in sustaining project outcomes. As infrastructure works progress, communities must be continuously informed, engaged and supported to understand the purpose of the investments, their role in protecting water resources, and the mechanisms available for feedback and accountability. This includes strengthening communication around safeguards, livelihood considerations, grievance redress, and the responsible use and management of groundwater resources.

The mission also noted the need to address emerging implementation bottlenecks, including delays affecting exploratory well development, coordination between consultants and contractors, and the practical implementation of security management plans in project areas. Continued engagement with stakeholders, timely follow-up on agreed actions, and stronger supervision were identified as important steps in keeping implementation on track.

Through the Horn of Africa Groundwater for Resilience Project, Kenya continues to advance a more data-driven, coordinated and sustainable approach to groundwater development and management in Turkana, Wajir, Garissa, Marsabit and Mandera.

Ministry Of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Julius Korir Water Resources Authority Water Resources Authority Water Sector Trust Fund - WSTF Regional Centre on Groundwater Resources Education, Training & Research Mandera County Government Wajir County Government Marsabit Water and Sewerage Company- MARWASCO

06/05/2026

Day 3 of the Horn of Africa Groundwater for Resilience Project Implementation Support Mission focused on the systems, data and capacity needed to strengthen groundwater governance and sustainable water service delivery across the participating counties.

The discussions reviewed county-level progress on policy and regulatory frameworks, Water Service Provider arrangements, data collection systems, and the operational challenges affecting implementation.

A key highlight of the day was the demonstration of the project’s Management Information System application and dashboard. The session underscored the importance of accurate, timely, and validated data in supporting project monitoring, reporting, coordination, and evidence-based decision-making.

County discussions also brought forward important implementation issues, including community acceptance, sustainability of infrastructure investments, data gaps, leadership transitions and the need to further align county systems with project-level reporting tools.

The Regional Centre on Groundwater Resources also provided updates on capacity-building activities, including master’s programmes and short courses. These efforts are expected to strengthen technical expertise while ensuring that applied research responds directly to practical groundwater challenges emerging from the counties.

Through the ISM, the project continues to strengthen coordination between national institutions, implementing agencies, counties and partners — ensuring that groundwater investments are supported by strong systems, reliable data and sustainable local capacity.

Ministry Of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Julius Korir Water Resources Authority Water Sector Trust Fund - WSTF Regional Centre on Groundwater Resources Education, Training & Research Mandera County GovernmentWajir County Government

06/05/2026

Thank you, Elwasco, for the continued partnership and commitment to improving reliable and sustainable water services for the people of Wargadud.

Through the Horn of Africa Groundwater for Resilience Project, implemented in collaboration with the Mandera County Government and sector partners, investments such as the upgrading of Wargadud Borehole facilities are strengthening groundwater infrastructure, improving service reliability and supporting long-term water security for communities in ASAL areas.

We commend the leadership of Elwasco, the County Government of Mandera, community leaders and all implementing partners for moving this important work forward.

Mandera County Government Water Resources Authority Water Sector Trust Fund - WSTF Ministry Of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation