Ayanae lives on the front line of the climate crisis

There is a climate emergency happening right now in Turkana, Kenya. The climate is changing faster here than other regions of the world. There has been no prolonged rain in years. Persistent drought has baked the ground hard and dried up water sources.

Like most people in Turkana, Ayanae was a livestock farmer. But drought killed the pasture she relied on to feed her animals. When they died, her traditional way of life became impossible. Every day became a struggle to survive.

Ayanae told us: “I used to walk for water and carrying a 20-litre can would cause pain. I would use that water for animals, for family chores and drinking, but 20 litres was not enough. We had problems with diarrhoea, cholera and typhoid.”

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Life-giving water for health and nutrition

A solution to the impact of the drought lay beneath Ayanae’s feet. While the ground in Turkana is baked dry, deep underground there are vast aquifers holding enough water for Ayanae, her family and her whole community,

We investigated places where we could install new boreholes with solar pumps to create a dependable water supply where it was needed. Deflouridation tanks filtered out impurities and made the water safe to drink.

“Life has changes now water is nearby,” Ayanae told us, “I use the water from the borehole for my kitchen garden where I grow and sell vegetables. I can wash utensils, have personal hygiene and wash my children. I see a bright future now.”

You can help supply the long-term solutions people like Ayanae need to survive crises and thrive in the future.

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