World Vision Kenya Flood Interventions: Muhuru Bay and Karachuonyo Households receive Cash Transfers and Non-Food Items

Persistent rains across East Africa have worsened flooding in Kenya, impacting 34 counties since mid-March 2024. Flash floods have disrupted livelihoods, displaced households, caused casualties, and destroyed infrastructure like roads, hindering access to essential services. Families, particularly children, women, the elderly, and the terminally ill, now grapple with unfamiliar conditions in temporary shelters like schools and churches, lacking mattresses, blankets, nets, and food.

In our emergency intervention, World Vision Kenya Launched National Flood Response a few weeks ago in Mathare North Primary School in Nairobi’s Mathare slums, offering humanitarian support to the affected families with cash transfers to meet their urgent humanitarian basic needs and Non-Food Items (NFIs) such as blankets, mosquito nets, sleeping mats, water jerricans, cooking utensils like cooking pots, plates, spoons, cups and knives to help the affected families meet their basic needs in the various camps in the affected areas.           

The Kenya National Disaster Operations Centre (NDOC) and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, report that the floods have had a significant impact on Kenya. As of May 10th 2024, the reports show that the Rift Valley, Nyanza, Western, Eastern, North-Eastern, Coast, Central, and Nairobi regions had 378,199 affected people, 188 people injured, 75 people missing, 55,575 people displaced households, and 264 dead. If the rains continue, these numbers are expected to rise.

World Vision Kenya is responding to this situation by providing humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable families and individuals affected by the flooding. A cash handout of Ksh 6,200 was made to 1,262 needy households in Homabay and Migori counties. In Muhuru Bay, Migori County, 125 homeless and flood-affected households got cash transfers to cover their basic needs. Rachuonyo and Sindo in Homabay County were targeted, with 531 and 606 homes, respectively. In the first phase of the intervention, 70 households in Kobuya village, Karachuonyo sub-county, got a cash transfer of Ksh 6,200, while 30 NFIs were handed to 30 houses in greatest need.

World Vision Kenya’s Migori, Homabay and Kisumu Counties Cluster Manager, Shadrack Yator, said the cash transfers and NFIs are meant for the most needy and vulnerable groups affected by the floods and currently camping in schools and churches for shelter.

“We have already done cash transfers of Ksh 6,200 to 70 households and today we are distributing 30 NFIs to 30 House Holds (HHs) in need. This is phase one of our intervention and we are moving into phase two that will see the remaining households benefit because there is a lot of need here.” He was speaking during the NFI distribution exercise at Kobuya Primary School in Karachuonyo Sub-County in Homabay County.

The recipients, on their part, appreciate the humanitarian assistance provided during this tough and needy time. "A friend is one who sticks by you in your time of need. We are deeply thankful to World Vision for standing with and supporting us at this difficult time. Tegla Tabu Adul, a Tanzanian married in Karachuonyo, stated, "The blankets will keep us warm at night, and the Jerricans will let us preserve clean and safe drinking water.

Kobuya Primary School serves as a temporary refuge for 350 affected and displaced households. Congestion puts children, the elderly, and the ill at risk of catching airborne and waterborne infections. There is a humanitarian necessity to avoid the spread of illnesses such as cholera in the region.

Schools reopen on the week of Monday, May 13, 2024, following a two-week delay due to torrential rains that damaged vital infrastructure. Displaced families are concerned about where they will go because classes will be utilised for learning. The area assistant chief, Mr. John Ochieng Akuno, stated that "when schools begin, these people would be homeless. However, we are in discussions with local church leaders about providing temporary refuge in churches because the rains are still falling and the homes are submerged. We are requesting more help from other donors to supplement World Vision's efforts here."

World Vision is spreading its national flood response to other areas in Funyula, Budalangi and Angurai in Busia County among other regions affected in Kenya. World Vision Kenya is targeting to reach a total of 84, 775 people and 14,129 households. To achieve this there is a need for more resources amounting to more than 2.2 million US dollars.

By Jared Ontobo, Emergency Communications Specialist, World Vision Kenya