Kenyan Droughts: A Community Based Approach with Microcredits

This paper describes a successful drought preparedness program initiated in Kenya's Machakos district by the International Federation and the Kenya Red Cross Society. The program developed branch capacities and worked closely with rural communities. The project aimed to strengthen local and district capacities to predict, cope with and recover from recent drought impacts. Project features included:

• Focus on the most vulnerable women;
• Promotion of water storing, irrigation systems, drought resistant crop farming, health education and grain storage at the community level;
• Use of a participatory approach to identify perceived needs of each community on health, water and sanitation;
• Funding of activities through microcredit.

Subsequently, when another drought hit Kenya, communities were able to cope with the disaster. Lessons learned include:

• Promotion of economic activities among vulnerable women helps them reduce vulnerability and increase capacity;
• Micro irrigation schemes help farmers grow more food with increased independence from climatic variability;
• Increasing access to water sources, health education and first aid training have a direct impact on the health status of the population;
• Working with communities is the key to success in this type of program.