Rivers and wetlands are critically important life-support systems running through the Sahelian drylands of Africa. They provide food, water and fertile soils for tens of millions of people. The loss of wetlands exacerbates water scarcity, hunger and instability. We seek to safeguard seasonal water flows that nourish the floodplains and local communities. We work to strengthen community resilience so they can bounce back after hazards and avoid disasters.
Along the Ewaso Nyiro River in Kenya, in Karamoja Region of Uganda and the Somali Region of Ethiopia, we work with our partners Red Cross, CARE and CORDAID to strengthen the livelihoods and water provision of pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in a changing climate. We do this through Ecosystem Management and Restoration (EMR) approaches for degraded ecosystems while creating sustainable agricultural practices and improving the management of water and natural resources. Through this Partners for Resilience (PfR) project, communities and other stakeholders that were once vulnerable become more resilient to climate change-induced hazards. NGOs and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) are also empowered in applying the integrated approach – the Disaster Risk Reduction /Climate Change Adaptation/ EMR. This contributes to a stronger voice for the civil society and their engagement in policy dialogue solicited endorsement of the PfR approach by government institutions
In Kenya and Uganda, we are contributing to sustainable Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) by focusing on improvements in integrated water resources management and governance through strengthening civil society capacity in lobby and advocacy and engaging a broad range of stakeholders.