Five ladies in traditional attire walk across a dry, open landscape in Ongeli Village, Marsabit, heading to a participatory training under the DFAT-funded CLTS project by SND.

As pastoralists, we now have renewed hope

— Rangison Harugura, a participant in the multipurpose cash transfer programme in Marsabit County

3 mins read time
Published: 5th September 2024
Blog by Oxfam

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How Cash and WaSH Support Are Transforming Lives in Kenya

Empowering Families with Dignity, Clean Water, and Economic Opportunity in Marsabit and Turkana

With funding from Australian Aid, Oxfam Kenya, in partnership with PACIDA, Strategies for Northern Development (SND), and the ASAL Humanitarian Network (AHN), has been delivering life-changing support through a combination of multipurpose cash assistance and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) interventions.

Cash That Builds Futures

For Rangison Harugura, a participant in the multipurpose cash transfer program in Marsabit County, the support meant more than just money—it meant a new beginning.

When I received the money, I was so happy. I bought a chicken, a goat, and clothes for my children as they had none. Now I have milk at home—the goat I bought gave birth. The chicken provides eggs, and I can even slaughter one for food. As pastoralists, we now have renewed hope. Our livestock have increased in number.

— Rangison Harugura, a participant in the multipurpose cash transfer programme in Marsabit County

This kind of unconditional cash assistance empowers families to make choices that best suit their needs, whether it’s food, livestock, clothing, or education, while also stimulating local economies.

Diboya Maro pours clean drinking water from a filter at her rural home.

Clean Water, Healthier Lives

In Turkana County, Diboya Lemaru, a mother of five, shared how access to clean water has transformed her family’s health and well-being:

“The water I get now is clean. There’s no more filth. Now my children and I are much healthier than before.”

Thanks to Oxfam and SND, communities like Diboya’s now benefit from improved water infrastructure and hygiene education. In Marsabit, five villages have already been declared Open Defecation Free through the Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach, an important milestone in public health.

Water That Grows More Than Crops

In Kubi Dibayu, Halima, another project participant, expressed her joy at finally having water close to home:

“Everyone is pleased with the new borehole providing clean water. It helped me start a kitchen garden, and now I have easy access to water and vegetables. We’re thankful to SND for bringing water to us.”

Access to clean water not only improves health but also opens up new opportunities for food security and income generation.

Halima Galma fetches clean water at a borehole-supported community water point in Kubi Dibayu, Marsabit.

Water That Grows More Than Crops

In Kubi Dibayu, Halima, another project participant, expressed her joy at finally having water close to home:

“Everyone is pleased with the new borehole providing clean water. It helped me start a kitchen garden, and now I have easy access to water and vegetables. We’re thankful to SND for bringing water to us.”

Access to clean water not only improves health but also opens up new opportunities for food security and income generation.

Patricia Lotieng, WASH Coordinator at TUPADO, hands a sanitary kit to Margaret Ekamai, program participant.

A Model for Resilience

This integrated approach, combining cash transfers, nutrition support, and clean water access, is helping communities in Kenya’s ASAL regions build resilience in the face of climate shocks and economic hardship. By working closely with local partners, Oxfam ensures that aid is not only effective but also respectful of local knowledge and priorities.

These are not just stories of aid, they are stories of dignity, agency, and hope.