Recent weeks have seen major flooding across Kenya.
Many homes have been affected as rains have proved much heavier than usual due to the El Niṅo weather pattern. The rainy season began in early March and has continued almost every day since, with further impact from Cyclone Hidaya which has hit this week.
Flooding has occurred across the country including informal settlements in Nairobi like Kibera, Mathare and Matopeni, when the Nairobi River and Athi River both burst their banks.
There have been over 200 people reported dead and many more remain missing. Homes have been destroyed, families made homeless, livestock killed, and crops ruined. The water is often contaminated.
We are aware that this has affected over 2,000 schools and this has delayed the re-opening of schools at the beginning of Term Two which was due on 29th April, with children now due back in school next week.
And this all follows earlier flooding in October last year which lead to 500,000 people being displaced.
Photos sent by our RRBF contacts locally show the extent of the issues being faced in rural and urban areas.
It is often local community groups that step in to provide support and we are aware that the Kibera Community Emergency Response Team (K-CERT) organised by RRBF alumni Moses Omondi, is once again co-ordinating the relief effort in Kibera.
And his is being supported by several other RRBF students, Brian, Rashid and Joyce, showing that our scholarships are being rewarded and ‘paid forward’ in the local community. A great effort by all of them.
They have responded by helping to get people to safe ground, clear out their homes, and provide clothes, bedding, and food.
You can see more about their response at www.bit.ly/KCERT-floods. And if you’d like to contribute to their relief effort, please donate through RRBF at www.redrubberball.org.uk and we will co-ordinate.
