This debit card provides families in Kenya with access to safe, clean drinking water

A simple innovation is changing the way we fight drought. 

It is not uncommon for new mothers to struggle to adjust to the challenges of motherhood. But Catherine Nabulon (34) from Abulon, Kenya, has the added complication of raising her new-born in the middle of a drought. After her husband left her, she became the sole earner in her household and now spends her days in search of odd jobs, which has gotten increasingly difficult as resources dried up.

Catherine Nabulon from Kenya is raising her new-born baby in the middle of a drought where clean, safe drinking water is scarce. Oxfam is there, providing people like Catherine with cash via an e-wallet card so they can buy water and take back control of their lives. Photo: Joy Obuya/Oxfam

Turkana County, where Catherine lives, has been ravaged by a devastating drought. It is one of 23 counties — half of Kenya — currently in dire need of water. With increased demand from people who desperately need to provide for their families and their livestock, water sources have been stretched.

Right now 2.6 million people in Kenya need life-saving aid, including clean, safe water. 

To cope with the effects of drought, Oxfam is providing cash via an e-wallet mechanism to enable people to regain some control over their lives.

Customers like Catherine present their card to an Equity Bank agent who debits the amount that they need to buy water for a particular day. The agent then issues a receipt for that amount of water. Each five-gallon jerry can costs 5 Kenyan Shillings, or about €0.04/£0.03.

Next the customer gives the receipt to a water kiosk vendor for redemption who draws a volume of water that is equivalent to the amount taken off the card.

With her allocation of 900 Kenyan shillings (approx. €7.50/£6.50) Catherine purchases clean water to care for her baby. This support gives her peace of mind and allows her to focus on her dream of starting a business.  

The system also allows for flexibility and better planning so Catherine and others in Turkana can address their most immediate needs and cope with the drought.

Oxfam is there

Since September 2016, Oxfam has been on the ground in Kenya, repairing and upgrading borehole wells so that people can access clean, safe drinking water as well as providing cash assistance to help people buy essentials like food. We also provide hygiene and sanitation support and training to help prevent the spread of deadly diseases.

Through financial support from the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), we are reaching 1,000 households (or 6,000 people) with cash transfers, including cash that is disbursed through the e-wallet mechanism used specifically to buy clean, safe water. 

Please support people like Catherine

Despite Oxfam’s work, drought in Kenya continues to push people to extreme hunger. You can take action now to help people like Catherine by donating to our Hunger Crisis Appeal – 100% of your donation will go to our emergency response supporting people facing starvation in East Africa, Nigeria and Yemen.

Divya Amladi is Oxfam America’s Content Producer and Copywriter.