REACH (www.reachwater.uk) was a long term, interdisciplinary research programme that delivered improved water security for over 10 million people in Africa and Asia. In 2024, it won the Vice Chancellor’s Award for Research Engagement. A defining feature of REACH was its strong commitment to developing early career researchers, embedding them in long-term research observatories, applied policy engagement, and research-informed approaches to water risk and resilience.

This lecture is the first in an annual series that will continue to share the latest on water security in research and practice. This year, we will hear from three REACH programme alumni who will share their work on water security in Ethiopia and Kenya, and reflect on research impact pathways in water security.

Speakers

Dr. Florence Tanui is a hydrogeologist and Programme Officer (Science) at UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa in Nairobi. Since February 2024, she has led the management, coordination, and implementation of UNESCO’s groundwater-security initiatives across Eastern Africa and the Horn of Africa. Her work focuses on climate-resilient groundwater development, groundwater governance, and transboundary water cooperation, supporting countries to strengthen groundwater assessment, monitoring, data use, and the integration of groundwater into policy and planning. She also drives strategic partnerships and institutional collaboration with government counterparts, regional bodies, universities, and development partners to scale evidence-based solutions. Under the REACH programme, her work examined groundwater resources and management in Turkana County and Kitui County, Kenya.

Dr. Engdasew Feleke is currently serving as a Gender Specialist for the BRIGHT project at the Water and Land Resource Center (WLRC), supporting resilient and inclusive Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) across Ethiopia’s Abbay, Awash, Omo-Gibe, Rift Valley Lakes, and Tekeze basins. Her work focuses on mainstreaming gender equality and social inclusion to ensure equitable participation and benefits in climate-resilient water governance. Previously, she worked with the REACH–WISER programme, leading qualitative social science research on water security inequalities in the Awash River Basin.

Dennis Ochieng Onyango Ong’ech was Observatory Coordinator for the REACH programme in Kenya and has gone on to co-lead research in the Climate Forecasting, Adaptation, and Legitimacy (ClimateForAL) project which aims to identify the optimal way to communicate climate information in Turkana, drawing on the preferences of end-users and the insights of traditional forecasters. Currently studying for a PhD at the University of Nairobi, Dennis holds an MSc. in International Development (Conflict, Security and Development) from Birmingham University (UK).