In 2015 Sand Dams Worldwide (formerly Excellent Development) commenced a four-year pilot sand dam programme in the Northern Rangelands of Kenya, specifically in Lekurruki and Oldonyiro Conservancies, with Lekurruki Conservancy Trust (LCT) as our delivery partner.

The purpose of this programme was to increase access to clean water for both people and wildlife, and to build the platform for an integrated water resources management model in the Northern Rangelands.

Working in a new region in Kenya, this programme represented the first time we had worked with pastoralist communities where beneficiaries were not only humans and their livestock, but also wildlife that was in the region (previously we had only worked with settled farming communities who were in need of improved water access for drinking and domestic use, as well as to support agriculture).

When we first started working here, whilst there were some examples of sand dams in the region, they were not well known, and there was some scepticism around their effectiveness. However, the success of this programme has demonstrated the hugely beneficial impact of sand dams in this region of Kenya, and the role they can play in wider water and conservation strategies.

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Please donate and support vulnerable dryland communities to reduce global health threats with sand dams and access to clean water