Bringing Clean Water Closer to Home: Verification Visit to Maji Bora Project
First Climate joins independent auditors in Kenya as the program works toward its first Gold Standard carbon credit issuance
Key Insights
Verification site visit takes First Climate carbon project manager to project locations in rural Kenya
Maji Bora’s Gold Standard clean water program has restored 607 boreholes
Activities expand access to safe water for more than 600,000 people
First Climate carbon project manager, Pablo Carballo Chanfón, recently joined Griot’s implementation team and independent auditors for a 7-day verification site visit to a number of boreholes in northern Kenya. The visit forms part of Maji Bora’s first verification under Gold Standard.
Managed by UK-based Griot Ltd., the Maji Bora Safe Water Program rehabilitates boreholes serving rural communities in Turkana and Kilifi. So far, the program has already restored more than 600 boreholes, improving water access for around 600,000 people.
In addition to providing safe drinking water, the program also aims to reduce or avoid emissions associated with burning fuel in order to boil unsafe drinking water. These emission reductions are being assessed as part of the Gold Standard verification process.
Since 2023, First Climate has supported the program’s carbon certification process with technical guidance and helped the Maji Bora project progress toward its first issuance of carbon credits.
Water access improves daily life
The project operates in Kilifi and Turkana counties, a region characterized by extreme heat and arid conditions where prolonged water scarcity presents ongoing challenges for local communities. Livestock farming is the primary source of food and income for the majority of local households, making reliable water infrastructure essential for both people and animals.
Before the project initiated the ongoing rehabilitation of the boreholes, many households relied on unsafe water sources such as dug wells and seasonal streams, while others traveled significantly longer distances – in some cases spending an entire day traveling to alternative water points in the area. Today, the boreholes rehabilitated through the Maji Bora project are helping communities access cleaner and more reliable water supplies much closer to home. Improved clean water access reduces the time and effort required to collect clean water, helping households dedicate more time to other daily activities and livelihoods.
Verifying results on the ground
During the week-long assessment, the team traveled more than 1,000 kilometers through the regions to reach remote villages and to assess the conditions on the ground.
“This is the first verification site visit since the project started in December 2023, so we have two calendar years (2024 and 2025) in the first monitoring period included in this visit. The four VPAs (Voluntary Project Activity) included in the monitoring are spread over thousands of kilometers across 2 counties. The VVB (Validation and Verification Body) interviewed dozens of randomly selected households and inspected several randomly selected boreholes across both counties, verifying that the monitored and reported project data was sound and accurate. The visit has not been without its challenges, but the improvements to everyday are immediately clear,” reports Pablo Carballo Chanfón, Senior Carbon Project Manager.
Vivid impressions from the field
Image gallery captions: 1. Community members gather at a water point visited by the Maji Bora team and VVB; 2. Kenyan roads cover long distances between randomly selected project sites; 3. A stop to rest between travel point, which covered thousands of kilometers; 4. Camels are a primary source of milk and meat, and their ability to cope with dry conditions makes them important for pastoral livelihoods; 5. Testing out a borehole; 6. The VVB auditor interviews community members as part of the visit; 7. A glimpse into daily life of a Turkana village; 8. Pablo chats with a village elder and project beneficiary on a traditional single-leg stool/headrest called a "ekicholong;" 9. A closer look at a borehole; 10. Impressions of the northwestern Kenyan landscape at sunset where daily temperatures usually peak between 34-43°C, depending on the region.
Looking Ahead
With field verification activities now completed, First Climate and its project partners will continue working through the remaining verification steps while maintaining their focus on delivering measurable environmental and social impact through improved access to clean water.
Subject to successful verification and Gold Standard review, the program is expected to issue approximately 255,000 carbon credits expected to be offered on the voluntary carbon market, supporting the continued delivery of climate and sustainable development benefits in the region.
First Climate will continue to report on the ongoing activities of the Maji Bora Safe Water Program as they develop. If you'd like to know more about the project, contact us at: impact@firstclimate.com
