Strengthening Lifelines: WASH Humanitarian Efforts in East and Central Africa

East and Central Africa face a complex humanitarian landscape, marked by persistent conflicts, mass displacement, and the escalating impacts of climate change. Amidst these challenges, ensuring access to safe Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) remains a critical cornerstone of humanitarian response, directly impacting public health, dignity, and overall resilience. Organizations across Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Tanzania are implementing vital WASH projects to address these profound needs.

Current Initiatives: A Region-Wide Effort

Across East and Central Africa, numerous WASH projects are underway, reflecting a multifaceted approach to address immediate humanitarian needs and build long-term sustainability. In Uganda, which hosts nearly 1.7 million refugees, efforts are concentrated on providing safe and consistent WASH services within refugee settlements. The WASH Foundation, in partnership with the Ugandan Water Project and the Rotary Club, is piloting initiatives to drill water wells in the Tororo district, aiming to improve water access for approximately 22,950 people, including healthcare facilities and schools. Similarly, UNICEF, through its Regional WASH Programme (R-WASH), is establishing resilient urban water supply systems and city-wide inclusive sanitation interventions for both host and forcibly displaced communities in Ethiopia, Somalia, and Uganda.

In Kenya, organizations like Just One Africa are distributing water filters and conducting extensive WASH training programs to empower communities in managing their water quality and hygiene practices. These gravity-operated filters effectively remove bacteria and protozoa, offering a cost-effective solution for clean drinking water. The East African Community (EAC), in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), recently concluded a significant WASH project that installed and renovated 43 high-standard handwashing facilities at points of entry and border hotspots across all seven EAC Partner States, including Burundi, DRC, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda, and Tanzania. This initiative reached over 6 million individuals with health and hygiene promotion activities. In Ethiopia, the USAID Climate-Resilient WASH activity, active from 2023 to 2028, focuses on professionalizing and expanding climate-resilient water services and increasing access to sanitation and hygiene products, including for menstrual health.

Emerging Challenges: A Shifting Landscape

Despite these dedicated efforts, the region grapples with significant and evolving challenges to WASH access. Climate change stands as a paramount threat, intensifying both prolonged droughts and devastating floods. These extreme weather events destroy existing infrastructure, contaminate water sources, and exacerbate water scarcity, making humanitarian logistics incredibly complex. For instance, in 2019-2020, extreme rainfall caused serious flooding across Ethiopia, Uganda, and Tanzania, destroying homes and straining sanitation systems. The Eastern Africa region witnessed approximately 67 million people in need of assistance as of September 2024, with climate change, conflicts, political instability, and disease outbreaks being major drivers.

Ongoing conflicts, particularly in South Sudan and the DRC, lead to massive displacement, creating immense pressure on already stretched WASH resources in refugee and internally displaced persons (IDP) camps. South Sudan faces particularly dire conditions, with only 41% access to safe water and 9% to safe sanitation. Moreover, persistent cholera outbreaks remain a major public health concern across Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, and Tanzania, highlighting critical gaps in sanitation access and hygiene promotion. Ethiopia, for example, has reported nearly 26,000 cholera cases, with the outbreak ongoing since August 2022. The sheer scale of needs often outstrips available funding, with only 37% of the US$3.4 billion requested for global WASH humanitarian response funded in 2024.

Innovative Solutions and the Path Forward

In response to these complex challenges, humanitarian actors are increasingly embracing innovative solutions. Advanced water purification technologies are proving transformative. Aquatabs, for instance, are widely used in emergency settings in South Sudan and Ugandan refugee settlements, offering a rapid, cost-effective, and WHO-approved method to purify water and prevent waterborne diseases. The ORISA® water purifier, designed specifically for humanitarian use, provides autonomous and transportable filtration systems to individuals and communities, effectively reducing waterborne diseases.

Beyond technology, new approaches to climate resilience are emerging. In Uganda, a project funded by the Adaptation Fund aims to strengthen communities' resilience to climate change through integrated flood early warning systems and climate-smart WASH technologies in the Mpologoma catchment. USAID's Climate-Resilient WASH in Ethiopia exemplifies a commitment to building sustainable water services that can withstand climate shocks, including through investments in water resources management in pastoral regions.

NGO partnerships are crucial in leveraging resources and expertise. Organizations like WaterAid work closely with local partners and governments across the region, focusing on sustainable services and building government capacity. The UNICEF Sustainable WASH Innovation Hub leverages innovative finance to accelerate the scale of WASH solutions, including blended financing models for household sanitation improvements in sub-Saharan Africa. Digital tools are also being integrated; for example, "More Water More Life" combines satellite imagery and digital mapping to improve groundwater location and drilling success in Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia. Additionally, anticipatory action strategies, where humanitarian assistance is delivered before predicted crises like floods or droughts, are gaining traction in the East Africa humanitarian response, reaching millions across countries like Ethiopia, Somalia, and South Sudan since January 2024.

Conclusion

The commitment to enhancing WASH services in East and Central Africa remains unwavering, despite significant hurdles. The blend of conventional and innovative WASH projects, coupled with strong NGO partnerships and improved humanitarian logistics, is vital for saving lives and building resilience. Addressing the impacts of climate change and ensuring sustainable sanitation access and hygiene promotion will require sustained investment, collaborative efforts, and a continuous pursuit of adaptable solutions to realize the fundamental human right to clean water and sanitation for all in the region.