During heavy rains in Nakuru, Kenya, flooding often makes its way to the city’s industrial area, shutting down factories that have to halt their production and engage in cleaning up the damage. For Susan Njuguna, Regional Coordinator at the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), it is a scenario she has “witnessed far too many times.”
An industrial backbone under pressure
Nakuru’s economy is driven by a diverse mix of manufacturing, agro-processing, and construction industries, alongside growing tourism and service sectors. The city hosts factories that produce building materials, textiles, plastics, and food products, many of them located in or near the central industrial area that has long struggled with flooding. These businesses form the backbone of local employment and investment, making their participation in resilience planning critical for Nakuru’s sustainable growth.
“We have lost both time and machinery due to floods,” explains Susan. “The workers, businesses, and even the entire community are affected by this.”
Bringing everyone to the table
At the beginning of the year, Susan became a participating member in the Water as Leverage (WaL) workshops. This initiative funded by the Dutch government is managed by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) and implemented in partnership with UN-Habitat, Vitens Evides International through its WaterWorx programme, and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It brings together government officials, community representatives, development and private-sector actors to co-design environmentally-friendly and investment-ready solutions for urban water challenges in Nakuru. The WaL Nakuru project uses the ‘sponge city’ design model to tackle flooding, stormwater runoff and climate change, while promoting nature-based infrastructure and inclusive urban growth.
Susan recalls being struck by the inclusive spirit of the workshops. “The best thing for me was the listening aspect. They were really listening to everyone, the residents and even the business owners,” she explains. “If you want to help Nakuru, you must understand its environment.”
Water as a catalyst for change
The WaL approach positions water as a catalyst for sustainable urban transformation. It combines the expertise of spatial design, engineering, planning and finance to unite local knowledge with global innovation to transform environmental challenges into opportunities for equitable development supported by an international and local multidisciplinary design team. This approach is now being scaled across cities through the Upscaling Water as Leverage programme.
Participants discussed six ‘impact areas’ or hotspots including Kiamunyi, a district which was once farmland but is now a hillside that has been rapidly urbanised in recent years. The area quickly changed from being a source of water retention and carbon sinks to hosting scenes of stormwater rushing down to the central business district, flooding the industrial zones.
Greening the industrial zone
For Susan and her colleagues, the exercise was more than just a means to an end. “We were taught the process of turning a city into an environment that can retain water through vegetation such as trees, grass, and parks instead of water overwhelming the city,” she explains. Moreover, the team witnessing the Nakuru Water and Sanitation Service Company demonstration project made them realise how such seemingly small and simple measures like rooftop gardens or shaded lawns could make industrial spaces cooler and more resilient.
Inspired by the WaL pilot at NAWASCO, the city’s water and sanitation company, KAM members have started greening their own premises, adding rooftop gardens, lawns, and trees, and donating seedlings to surrounding communities. “It’s a collective effort,” says Susan. “We even hire local labour to help plant them. When everyone takes part, the impact lasts.”
We were taught the process of turning a city into an environment that can retain water.
From threat to resource
The initiative is also helping Nakuru’s private sector to see opportunities in sustainability. Businesses are exploring ways to store rainwater and treat wastewater which will support new livelihoods around Lake Nakuru, where fishing and tourism are beginning to thrive. “When we take care of the environment, the economy benefits too,” Susan says.
For her, the workshops marked a shift in how Nakuru views water as a transition from a threat to a resource. “This project sells itself,” she explains, smiling. “It’s solving real problems like flooding and water shortages, but it’s also showing us how to turn those challenges into opportunities.”
Watch the video to find out more about Water as Leverage in Nakuru
With the Human series, we showcase the people who are involved in and benefit from the Partners for Water projects. The Human series sheds light on the stories of the people with whom and for whom Partners for Water works, and on how water affects their lives. Discover below how water influences the life of Irene Novita Andriani, whose lifelong struggle with frequent flooding has fueled a deep commitment to addressing the region’s water challenges,
In this Humans of Partners for Water series, meet Novita Andriani, Head of Water Resources Planning in East Java. Passionate about her work, she’s focused on reducing water’s destructive impact and turning it into a valuable resource for communities.
Ensuring that Water Quantity, Quality, and Continuity meet Current and Future Demands
Novita Andriani, the Head of Water Resources Planning for East Java’s Public Works Department, has turned a childhood marked by frequent flooding near her home into a career dedicated to water management. Growing up along a river prone to disasters in Java, Novita was inspired to study water resource management in Surabaya, the bustling capital of East Java.
Her experiences have fueled a deep commitment to addressing the region’s water challenges, which she views as a collective responsibility.
“We all have a common goal: sustainable management of water resources. That’s my pride”.
In her current role, Novita is spearheading efforts to conserve water resources in areas where this is particularly challenging, such as the Welang river in Java. Her work focuses on ensuring that water quantity, quality, and continuity meet both current and future demands, reflecting a broader commitment to sustainable development in one of Indonesia’s most vital regions.
Dutch-Indonesian Water Cooperation
For over fifty years, the Netherlands has been a crucial partner to Indonesia in water management, solidified by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) since June 2007. The latest MoU, covering 2022-2026, aims to elevate cooperation to a more strategic level, involving government authorities, public and private sectors, and NGOs from both nations.
Indonesia is one of the seven delta countries engaged in the Partners for Water programme for 2022-2027. Urban water security in parts of Indonesia is compromised by low access to piped water and pollution. Agriculture and poor sanitation further degrade water quality. Java, housing over half the population, faces severe water scarcity, projected to worsen by 2040. Over-exploitation of aquifers leads to subsidence and increased flood risks, especially in Jakarta. Costal cities are also threatened by exacerbate droughts, fires, and sea level rise caused by climate change.
The collaboration with Partners for Water advocates for sustainable and integrated water management through long-term partnerships, utilizing experiences from previous programs. Partners for Water leverages its extensive network, knowledge, and funding to address water security challenges in partner countries. By integrating Dutch and local expertise in sustainable, inclusive, and innovative water management from the early planning stages, the program aims to foster cooperation among government entities, the private sector, NGOs, young professionals, and knowledge institutions.
The program’s priorities include lowland development and irrigation, integrated water management, and the development of capacity, knowledge exchange, and youth engagement.
Exploring opportunities in Indonesia?
Are you currently working on water projects in Indonesia or exploring how to do so? Or just curious about participating in the Partners for Water initiatives? Here are ways for you to get involved:
- Apply for our tenders focused on innovative solutions in delta countries like Indonesia.
- Join our annual Indonesia platform meeting or one of the other Partners for Water events. Check out our events page for upcoming events.
- Follow us on LinkedIn and subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated on our tenders, activities, events and projects.
- Apply for the Partners for Water subsidy. Explore whether you are eligible.
- Get in touch with our Project Advisor for Indonesia: Simon van Meijeren
With the Human series, we showcase the people who are involved in and benefit from the Partners for Water projects. The Human series sheds light on the stories of the people with whom and for whom Partners for Water works, and on how water affects their lives. Below, discover how water shapes the life of Liria Francisco and her neighbours in Beira, a city deeply affected by frequent flooding.
Liria Fransisco
In this Humans of Partners for Water series, meet Liria Francisco from the flood-prone city of Beira, who eagerly anticipates a safer, healthier future as a result of the protective measures planned by Partners for Water.
Raising Awareness in the Community
Liria Francisco lives in Beira, where the Pungwe River meets the Indian Ocean. With over 750,000 residents, it is Mozambique’s fourth-largest city and hosts the Port of Beira, a crucial gateway for the region. However, the city is extremely vulnerable to floods. Francisco has experienced firsthand how floods and high tides threaten her community.
When these events occur, residents must lift up all their belongings and put children on tables for safety. After the water recedes, diseases like diarrhoea, malaria, and fever often follow. This has driven Francisco to raise awareness in her community about the importance of urban development projects
“I tell them that when the dyke is built, we’ll still be here, but we’ll feel safe”.
One of the key initiatives in Beira targets Maraza, a 350-hectare undeveloped swamp area. This pilot project seeks to show that through organized residential expansion, land that is currently uninhabitable due to frequent flooding can be transformed and made available at affordable prices. For the success of the project, it’s crucial that residents recognise how the plans will enhance their lives and health. Advocates like Francisco are pivotal in communicating these benefits to the community
Discover more Humans of Partners for WaterDutch-Mozambique Water Cooperation
In 2025, Mozambique and the Netherlands will celebrate 50 years of bilateral cooperation, a partnership that has focused on water management since Mozambique’s independence in 1975. Over time, this collaboration has expanded to include food security, rule of law, health (including HIV/AIDS and sexual and reproductive health), and social protection. Dutch interests in Mozambique also extend to maritime, transport, food and beverage, and extractive industries.
The partnership is structured through four-year strategies, with the current Multi-Annual Country Strategy (MACS 2023-2026) emphasizing water as a top priority. The focus is on Cabo Delgado in the north and the Beira corridor in the central region, areas highly vulnerable to extreme climate events such as floods, droughts, cyclones, and storm surges. Mozambique is among the top 10 countries most at risk from these natural disasters, highlighting the critical need for this long-term water management partnership. Recent cyclones, including Idai (2019), Eloise (2021), and Freddy (2023), have caused severe damage.
Since the 1970s, many of Mozambique’s water leaders have trained in the Netherlands or through Dutch-funded programmes. Prominent Dutch scholars have also conducted essential research in Mozambique. Dutch water companies have partnered with Mozambique’s national water utility, FIPAG, for over 20 years, helping to professionalize its operations. Additionally, the Netherlands Water Boards have supported their Mozambican counterparts for over a decade.
The Netherlands-Mozambique delta collaboration is a key part of the MACS strategy, guided by two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Beira. The first MoU, signed in 2015, focuses on implementing the Beira Master Plan 2035, mainly in water and land management. The second, signed in 2018, commits both parties to co-invest in land development in Beira’s Maraza neighbourhood and to strengthen local institutions for cyclone and flood resilience.
Urban Resilience in Beira
The partnership between the Netherlands and Mozambique, which began in 2011 with the Beira Master Plan 2035 (BMP2035), has concentrated on building urban resilience in Beira, as priorities have evolved over the years. The plan aims to strengthen Beira’s defences against the growing threats of climate change, including heavy rainfall, storm surges, and cyclones.
Cyclone Idai’s catastrophic landfall in Beira in 2019, which resulted in USD 357 million in damages and destroyed 70% of the city’s buildings, highlighted the urgent need for these efforts. The Netherlands played a crucial role in coordinating a recovery package that secured USD 250 million for public infrastructure. However, despite these efforts, Beira’s economy remains fragile, with most damage to housing and businesses uninsured.
Dutch involvement in Beira has significantly increased, with funding rising from EUR 300,000 in 2011 to over EUR 3 million by 2021. This support has financed a range of urban development projects, including coastal protection, drainage improvements, and land management
Exploring opportunities in Mozambique?
Are you currently working on water projects in Mozambique or exploring how to do so? Or just curious about participating in the Partners for Water initiatives? Here are ways for you to get involved:
- Apply for our tenders focused on innovative solutions in delta countries like Mozambique.
- Join our annual Mozambique platform meeting or one of the other Partners for Water events.
- Follow us on LinkedIn and subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated.
- Apply for a Partners for Water subsidy.
- Get in touch with our Project Advisor for Mozambique: Jaap Kroon
