From Aid to Enterprise: How Communities in Dadaab and Kakuma Are Turning WASH into Opportunity
Helping young people turn skills into income
In Kakuma and Dadaab, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) has long been seen as humanitarian aid. For many community groups, it was never considered a way to earn a living.
“We always thought WASH was something people received for free during emergencies,” says Fatuma Rashid, a member of a community-based organization in Dadaab. “It never crossed our minds that it could be a business or a source of income for us.”
But that is changing.
As funding cuts reduce essential services and families face growing pressure to support themselves, communities are finding new ways to meet their needs - and earn an income at the same time.
A shift in thinking
Through the PROSPECTS programme, supported by the Government of the Netherlands and implemented with partners including UNICEF and World Vision Kenya, young people and community groups are being trained to see WASH differently. Not just as aid, but as a service people need and are willing to pay for.
In a four-day entrepreneurship training, 39 young people from local organizations in Kakuma and Dadaab learned how to start and manage small businesses. They covered basics like managing money, pricing products, working with suppliers, and reaching customers.
“The training completely changed my mindset,” says Jennifer Alimlim, a participant from Kakuma. “I now understand how to run a business, manage customers, and even calculate profits. For the first time, I see WASH as an opportunity, not just aid.”
From training to business
After the training, two WASH Business Centres were set up, one in Kakuma and one in Dadaab. These centres act as one-stop shops where people can buy essential items like soap, water treatment products, sanitation materials, and plumbing supplies. They also connect customers to trained service providers.
In places where access to these products was limited, demand has been strong. Within six months, the centres generated over KES 1.7 million in revenue (more than $13,000) and reached more than 23,000 households.
They are now supplying communities, schools, and local organizations - helping ensure families have access to basic hygiene products at a time when services are under strain.
Creating jobs and linking skills to income
The centres are also helping young people turn skills into income. Graduates from WASH skills training programmes, like plumbers and masons, are now being linked directly to customers through the centres. They provide services such as pipe repairs, latrine construction, and drainage work. The centres also give them access to tools and materials, making it easier to do their jobs and earn money.
Some young people are going even further, working with local organizations, government, and utility companies. This hands-on experience is helping them build real-world skills and open doors to jobs, including within the humanitarian sector.
More than products
Beyond business, the centres are also helping communities stay healthy. They take part in awareness campaigns and work with schools to promote good hygiene practices, including menstrual hygiene. By combining services, education, and access to products, they are helping communities make safer, healthier choices.
A new way forward
Dadaab and Kakuma together host hundreds of thousands of refugees. As aid funding declines and climate shocks strain water systems, the need for practical, long-term solutions is growing.
Market-based approaches like this are helping communities adapt. Instead of relying only on aid, people are building businesses, creating jobs, and improving services themselves.
“The WBC gave us a purpose,” says Jennifer. “We are now busy managing the centre, actively marketing our WASH products, and partnering with local organizations, county government and utility companies to expand our reach and make a greater impact to our communities.”
Building independence and resilience
What started as a simple training has grown into something bigger. Local groups are running businesses. Young people are earning incomes. Communities are gaining better access to essential services. And WASH is no longer seen only as aid. It is becoming a pathway to livelihoods, dignity, and self-reliance.
