Water and Health Centres Transforming Lives in Kasaï
Access to clean water, modern healthcare and better education is steadily becoming a reality for communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Kasaï provinces, thanks to the Project for the Reinforcement of Socioeconomic Infrastructure (PRISE).
Just over a decade ago, families in Kasaï faced harsh conditions. Villagers drank contaminated water, health centres were rudimentary huts, and poor roads made safe transport impossible. “We used to drink water that was full of germs, which caused a lot of suffering for all of us,” recalls Papa Mutombo Tambwe from Tshilenge.
The transformation began in 2013 with PRISE I, funded by the African Development Fund to the tune of $161.46 million. This first phase delivered 60 schools, 60 health centres, 504 latrines and 60 drinking water systems across five provinces. For the first time, thousands gained access to safer water, dignified classrooms and improved healthcare.
“Today, the Tshibumba health centre is new, clean and welcoming. We come here with confidence because it now gives us the chance to live healthier lives,” says Ms Mulanga Ntambwe.
Building on this success, the Congolese government and the African Development Bank launched PRISE II with a budget of $69.74 million, 95% financed by the Fund. The second phase is now reshaping life in the three Kasaï provinces, home to more than eight million people. To date, 22 new water systems, 41 schools, 40 health centres and 88 latrines are either completed or nearing completion, with almost 75% of the work finished.
The results are tangible. “Tap water is very different from water from the forest. It is nearby, clean, and we are relieved,” says Ntshila Muswamba, a mother in Mikalayi, Central Kasaï, as she draws water from a tap.
Beyond infrastructure, the project has generated over 2,200 permanent jobs – two-thirds of them for women – while training young people as plumbers, supporting community water management, and fostering healthier hygiene practices. In the face of climate change, this resilience is becoming as vital as the infrastructure itself.
For the African Development Bank and its partners, PRISE represents more than statistics. It is a vision of sustainable development that restores dignity and opportunity. In Kasaï, every new classroom, every flowing tap and every health centre is proof that communities can look to the future with renewed hope.
