Deadline: 05-Oct-2025
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund has launched a new initiative in the Line Islands of Kiribati aimed at strengthening water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) systems in emergency contexts.
With a funding allocation of $145,000, this project seeks to build a comprehensive understanding of existing water infrastructure, close critical service gaps, and enhance community resilience against drought and other climate-related challenges.
The project will begin with extensive data collection across all eight islands to map and assess existing water systems such as rainwater harvesting units, wells, pumps, solar distillation units, and desalination plants. This assessment will cover schools, clinics, and community facilities, documenting their functionality, capacity, and condition. Based on these findings, costed rehabilitation plans will be developed to address infrastructure gaps and ensure sustainable access to safe water.
Local capacity building is also a central component of the project. UNICEF will work closely with Outer Island Assistant Infrastructure Technicians (OIAITs) to improve water quality monitoring, including salinity and contamination risks. This will involve providing technical and logistical support, facilitating training and peer learning, and ensuring regular monitoring and maintenance activities are consistently carried out across the islands.
In addition, the project integrates climate and community engagement strategies. By partnering with the Kiribati Meteorological Service, it will collect rainfall data and introduce low-tech rainfall tracking in schools, helping students learn about climate and water resource management. Monitoring of rainwater tank levels will provide insight into seasonal water availability and usage trends, while household and institutional surveys will evaluate actual water consumption and validate data from clinics and Island Councils.
The initiative will conclude with a comprehensive report for each island, combining infrastructure assessments, water quality data, rainfall trends, and consumption analysis. These reports will present clear recommendations for drought preparedness, infrastructure upgrades, and policy actions to ensure that the water needs of the Line Islands population are reliably met in the face of climate challenges.
For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.