Swisscontact and Turkana County Forge Partnership to Strengthen Climate-Resilient WASH-Systems

Labour market insertion, Growth entrepreneurship
13.08.2025
Swisscontact has officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the County Government of Turkana, marking a pivotal partnership aimed at building climate-resilient water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) systems for both refugee and host communities. This collaboration is part of the Climate Proofing WASH Services (CP WASH) project, which Swisscontact is implementing alongside Plan International and WaterMission.

The MOU signing ceremony happened on 11th August 2025 and was led by County Secretary, Ambassador Richard Ekai, accompanied by County Attorney Ruth Emanikor, and Director of Resource Mobilization Raphael Logum.

Swisscontact, with 60 years of expertise in market-based solutions, brings a wealth of experience in working closely with businesses to drive sustainable impact. In Turkana County, the organization has been deeply engaged for over 14 years through the Skills for Life project. This long-standing commitment has allowed Swisscontact to gain a nuanced understanding of Turkana’s economic and social dynamics, enabling the design of tailored, sustainable solutions.

Swisscontact is focusing on two key interventions: Fecal Waste-to-Value Business Models and Entrepreneurship for Menstrual Health Management. By unlocking investment, strengthening local business ecosystems, and collaborating with the government to create an enabling legal environment, Swisscontact supports job creation, particularly for women and youth, while driving long-term economic growth in fragile contexts.

County Secretary, Ambassador Richard Ekai, shares with the team from Swissocntact and Turkana Country on the vision for Turkana County
County Secretary, Ambassador Richard Ekai and CP WASH Programme Lead, Swisscontact sign the MOU, witnessed by the County Attorney Ruth Emanikor.

County Secretary Ambassador Richard Ekai commended Swisscontact for its impactful work in Turkana County. He emphasized the importance of delivering sustainable projects that improve the livelihoods of both refugees and host communities, ensuring that benefits continue even after the project concludes.

He also raised a question about the measures Swisscontact has in place to validate the impact on the trainees after the interventions have ended.

In response, Jimmy Delyon, Programme Lead at Swisscontact, assured that the organization’s approach is driven by private-sector-led interventions in collaboration with key industry partners, focusing on job creation and business continuity for trainees. He highlighted various strategies being employed to ensure the long-term success of the interventions.

"Having lived and worked in Germany, I’ve seen firsthand the high standards of skills development in developed countries. Swisscontact’s skills development model, including its dual apprenticeship approach, mirrors this excellence, which gives me great confidence in its impact."
Ambassador Richard Ekai, County Secretary 

This MOU signing underscores a shared commitment to creating a future where everyone has access to clean water, proper sanitation, and the resources needed to thrive, all while driving economic growth and resilience in the face of climate change. Swisscontact is proud to continue its work in Turkana County, contributing to a more sustainable and resilient future for all.

2025 - 2026
Kenya
Labour market insertion, Growth entrepreneurship
Enhancing the Resilience and Adaptive Capacity of refugees and host communities in Turkana County (CP WASH)
The CP WASH project enhances access to sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services in Turkana County, empowering refugees and host communities to become more resilient, economically self-reliant, and climate- adaptive. Through private-sector-led, market-based solutions, the project transforms WASH challenges into economic opportunities by integrating entrepreneurship, scalable business models, and circular economy approaches.