Eritrea Secures $9.82 M Grant to Bring Water Closer and Strengthen Rural WASH

Planned work includes borehole construction, the installation of 21 complete rural water supply systems and the rehabilitation and modernisation of 38 systems that are no longer functioning.

Access to drinking water could become a much shorter journey for communities in Eritrea under a newly approved project that will build and restore rural water systems and improve sanitation facilities in schools and health centres. The African Development Fund's Board of Directors approved a $9.82 million grant on 21 September 2026 for the Enhancing Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Adaptation Project, which will be carried out in coordination with the Government of Eritrea and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

Bringing Drinking Water Within Easier Reach

The project is expected to cut the distance communities travel to collect drinking water by a factor of ten, bringing the journey down to around 500 metres, according to Mtchera Johannes Chirwa, Director of the African Development Bank Group's Water and Sanitation Department. For people whose daily routines revolve around fetching water, bringing supplies closer to home could ease a demanding task and free up time for other responsibilities, making the investment meaningful beyond the construction of new infrastructure.

Planned work includes borehole construction, the installation of 21 complete rural water supply systems and the rehabilitation and modernisation of 38 systems that are no longer functioning. Repairing these existing systems will be an important part of expanding access, with the project combining new infrastructure and improvements to facilities that communities cannot currently rely on for their water needs.

Better Facilities for Schools and Health Centres

Water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, commonly known as WASH, will be rehabilitated and modernised in 10 health centres and 12 schools, extending the project's reach into places where dependable services support everyday care and learning. These improvements address needs that go beyond household drinking water, helping schools and health facilities provide environments better equipped for basic hygiene, sanitation and the people who use them.

Chirwa said the investment would strengthen communities' ability to cope with climate shocks and contribute to social stability and economic development by addressing environmental and socioeconomic vulnerabilities. The project connects practical improvements in water access with those broader goals, recognising that reliable services matter for communities facing pressure on both their natural resources and their livelihoods.

Protecting Water Sources Against Climate Pressure

The grant comes through the Climate Action Window, a specialised climate finance mechanism backed by the African Development Fund, the African Development Bank Group's concessional financing arm for low-income and transitional African countries. Its support will fund measures to protect water resources, including retention dams, earthworks and tree planting in catchment areas, the land from which water drains into shared sources, to improve the sustainability of supplies.

Investment in climate knowledge and institutional and human capacity is another part of the project, supporting the skills and understanding needed to respond to climate-related challenges. The combination of functioning water systems, healthier catchment areas and stronger local capacity is intended to give communities more dependable access to water, with benefits reaching homes, classrooms and health centres.