In the wake of the harsh drought that hit the county of Isiolo between 2020 and 2023, PrideInn Hotels, Resorts & Camps introduced a clean water project to aid the local community. The project sought to extend sustainable access to clean water to about 1,000 households, schools, and dispensaries in the Esmit village, Isiolo County.

Isiolo County, part of Kenya’s arid and semi-arid regions, experienced its most severe drought in four decades, with below-average rainfall persisting for three years. This led to acute water shortages, affecting thousands of households. A May 2023 report by UNICEF highlighted the vulnerability of communities due to the loss of lives, dwindling livestock herds, and barren fields. Despite the rainy season from March to May, the rains failed to revive production systems in the county. According to ReliefWeb, Isiolo is among the ASAL counties experiencing high levels of acute malnutrition due to insufficient rainfall.

In the Esmit village, the locals such as Joseph Eroi and Elizabeth Ngambara struggled to get clean water every day. Their main source of water, a tributary that feeds into the Isiolo River, is 4 to 5 kilometers away and is contaminated, acting as a sewerage pipe. The contamination caused waterborne diseases, with Elizabeth sharing the loss of two children in their community to stomach-related ailments resulting from the use of the contaminated water. Statistics by the Millennium Water Alliance show that more than 73% of the villages in Isiolo depend on unclean water sources that are more than 5 kilometers away.

To counteract this crisis, PrideInn Hotels, Resorts & Camps initiated a wide-ranging water project in the Esmit village. The project entails:

• A solar powered borehole to utilize renewable energy to extract water.
• A 10,000-litre plastic water storage tank.
• A 30 cubic meter per hour water supply pipe to efficiently distribute water.
• Water dispensing kiosks for community access.
• A 30-meter-long animal water trough to serve the livestock, such as camels, goats, cows, and sheep.

The system is intended to provide about 1,000 households, as well as local dispensaries and schools, with a consistent supply of clean water.

The implementation of the project has greatly increased the standard of living of the residents of Esmit village. Easy access to clean water has minimized the incidence of waterborne illnesses and the inconvenience of traveling long distances to collect water. Livestock, an integral part of the village’s economy, now enjoy a reliable water source, making them healthier and more productive.

PrideInn Hotels, Resorts & Camps Managing Director, Hasnain Noorani, highlighted the organization’s dedication to community welfare, speaking during the commissioning he said, “It is an honor to be here to launch this groundbreaking water project, and we hope to benefit as many community members as possible. Clean water is a right that all people are entitled to, and we are determined to make that a reality. We know that this project will be life-altering for the families of the region.”

The water project is the first of many projects under PrideInn’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative. PrideInn continues to invest in projects that meet essential needs in Kenyan communities, including water access, education, and environmental preservation.