Over fifteen million Kenyans live with the threat of drought. In Turkana County, innovative interventions are changing the picture.

Over the years, frequent and intense cyclical disasters such as droughts and flooding have impacted communities in the low-lying coastal plains of the Tana River delta, east of Kenya. To build resilience against such recurring calamities, interventions promote alternative livelihoods and entrepreneurship opportunities.

16 UN Volunteers were deployed across Kenya to prevent electoral violence and promote peace during the general elections in August.

Until recently, 1000 mature trees were felled every year to provide cooking fuel for the Njuri High School alone, a reminder of the high dependence of most learning institutions in Kenya on biomass.

In a county classified as arid and semi-arid due to its cycles of drought, hunger and famine, smallholder farmers are now raking in major profits from agriculture as a result of their venture in alternative sources of livelihood. In addition, over 5000 households from Laikipia, now have access to food and parents can afford school fees for their children’s education.

Many of the school going children in northern Kenya rely on inadequate sources of light for studying after school hours. Kerosene lamps or reading over the fire expose children to health hazards such as respiratory diseases and eyesight challenges.The Solar Lantern Project hopes to address some of these challenges.

Digging canals to tap water from river Turkwel or growing drought resistant crops, Nawoyawoi farmers changed the landscape of a region once deemed unproductive.

Over 1,200 Women in Taita-Taveta and Kwale counties have received innovative water barrels that allow them to fetch water with ease. Through a partnership between UNDP and British Charity RoTB (Roll out the Barrel) Trust, this initiative seeks to directly impact women and children who are forced to carry heavy water jerry-cans over long distances to collect water for domestic uses. The innovative 30 liter barrels can be rolled with ease making it easier to transport water to homes for domestic use

Thanks to a GEF-funded project, over 100,000 hectares of degraded land were rehabilitated through pasture re-seeding and tree planting.