CADIS and Tzu Chi Deliver Relief to Flood-Hit Communities in Kenya

After the devastating 2024 flooding in Kenya, Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation (BTCF) partnered with Camillian Disaster Services International (CADIS) and CADIS Kenya to provide comprehensive assistance in three heavily affected areas, including the Mathare and Mukuru Kwa Njenga informal settlements in Nairobi and rural communities in Baringo County, located in the Rift Valley region of Kenya. The project provided relief materials such as food and non-food items, school uniforms and supplies, rent support, medical assistance, semipermanent housing, livelihood support, and agricultural support, for a total of over 16,600 people served.

With the goal to improve access to safe and secure shelter, enhance community recovery and resilience, reduce hunger, and reduce water borne diseases and infections, the project provided differentiated support based on the needs of the different areas. 900 families across all three areas received food packs containing 10 kilos of rice, 10 kilos of beans, 4 kilos of maize flour, 2 kilos of sugar, and 3 liters of cooking oil as well as female hygiene kits. 700 families received non-food items, and 1200 school children received school uniforms and supplies.
In Mathare, 200 families received cash transfers totaling 20,000 KHS (155 USD) per family over a three-month period to for house rental. In Baringo County, semi-permanent houses were constructed and awarded to 50 families, while 200 farmers received cash transfer of 10,000 KHS (77 USD), farming inputs, and technical training to strengthen their abilities to earn income from new fields further away from Lake Baringo.

In Mukuru Kwa Njenga, 644 individuals received health screening services, of which 206 received follow-up medical services including medical care, medicines, eye care, and laboratory exams.

One of the recipients of semi-permanent housing in Baringo County was Mr. Olesauroki from the community of Eldume. In 2005, he was attacked by armed bandits, sustaining injuries to his legs and back and losing his livestock. Due to his injuries, he was unable to work. In order to survive, the family had to split up, with his wife and children moving to live with relatives. The semi-permanent house built with support from Tzu Chi has finally given him a safe and secure place to stay, and for the first in many years, he and his family are able to live together again.

Mrs. Rose Tiyana’s 5-acre farm was her primary source of income, so when the farm land was devastated by the flooding, the loss severely impacted her ability to provide for her family.
Without any resources to restart her farm, her prospects looked grim.
To overcome the challenges faced by farmers like Mrs. Tiyana, CADIS Kenya in partnership with BTCF launched a support program that provided farmers with seeds and farm inputs as well as training in farming techniques. The farmers were also offered 10, 000 KSH (77 USD) to support them through to their first harvest. Part of the seeds they received were maize seeds for planting in November. When Mrs Tiyana received the cash transfer, she decided to allocate part of the sum to purchase tomato seedlings that could provide a harvest before the maize planting season.
The farm project has given Mrs. Tiyana new hope for the future. From the sale of the harvested produce, she was able to to earn enough to meet her family's needs and invest for the future. The support has been crucial to her and other farmers in the region, with the income allowing them to provide food, education, and healthcare to their families. Mrs Tiyana also expressed that she wishes to return the kindness of CADIS and BTCF by dedicating some of her income to help others in need in her community.