In the rolling, fertile farmlands of Koibatek Ward, where dairy cows dot the landscape and maize fields are a regular sight during rainy seasons, access to sustainable supply of water was once a daily struggleand a constant worry.

For years, nearly 3,000 residents here lived at the mercy of erratic rains and drying rivers, a harsh reminder of the growing impacts of climate change. The nearest reliable source, River Esageri, lay more than four kilometres away for many households. During prolonged droughts, even that lifeline would shrink or disappear entirely.

Daily life revolved around the search for water. Families woke early to begin long treks, sometimes stretching up to eight kilometres, in search of water and pasture. Children missed school, livestock weakened, and tensions occasionally flared with residents living upstream over the few remaining water points.

"We were forced to travel far in search of water and pasture for our livestock," recalls Eric Kiprop, a dairy farmer and resident. "Sometimes up to eight kilometres. This led to livestock losses, reduced milk production, and lack of food."

Before intervention, the community devised its own coping mechanisms. Some bought water from vendors at high cost, stretching already limited household incomes. Others relied on unsafe river water, exposing families to disease. Hygiene suffered - bathing, washing clothes, and maintaining sanitation became occasional luxuries rather than daily routines. People, especially children, were always at health facilities, says Maria Chepchieng. The water was not clean. Hygiene was very poor - some families could go up to a week without bathing.

The turning point came through the Financing Locally Led Climate Action initiative World Bank-supported Financing Locally-Led Climate Action Program, Kenya (FLLoCA) - implemented by the County Government of Baringo. Through this program, the community identified water scarcity as its most urgent need, a decision made collectively through the Ward Climate Change Planning Committee after years of lived hardship.

What followed was the establishment of the Korkorwonin Community Water Project - an ambitious undertaking designed to secure the areas future. The project included an intake weir located inside Sabatia forest, an 11-kilometre pipeline network, and a 150,000 cubic metre elevated storage tank feeding into an existing 100,000 cubic metre tank for distribution.

Today, thousands of residents and their livestock benefit directly from this system. The biggest change is immediate and visible: water is now accessible, reliable, and clean. Homes that once rationed every drop now have enough for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and farming. Hygiene has improved dramatically, with families now able to bathe regularly and maintain sanitation standards that were once out of reach.

"We are now very cleaneven bathing twice a day," Maria says with a smile.

Beyond households, the impact has rippled across livelihoods. Dairy farmers, who once struggled with low yields due to water shortages, are now expanding production. Arap Chebon Stanley, a local farmer, has upgraded his herd from indigenous breeds to higher-yielding Friesian and Jersey cattle. "I used to get five to ten litres per cow per day, he explains. Now I get 20 to 30 litres because I have water within my farm." Arap Chebon says.

With improved water access, he has also begun growing fodder on his land, using redirected spillway water to irrigate grass. The increased milk production has translated into higher incomeenough to support his family and even pay school fees for his granddaughter.

The project has also reduced conflicts over water and eased pressure on natural sources, while improving public health outcomes as reliance on unsafe river water declines.

For the people of Koibatek, what began as a response to climate stress has unlocked broader transformationhealthier families, stronger livelihoods, and renewed hope. And if given a chance to speak directly to those who made it possible, beneficiaries are clear about what it means.

"It has changed everything. We no longer struggle for water. Our animals are healthy, our children are clean and in school, and we can now plan for the future better. Maria Chepchieng says.

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