Severe flooding impacts families in Kenya

Torrential rainfall triggered flash flooding in Nairobi and Kisumu, Kenya, in mid-March as rivers breached their banks and poor drainage systems were tested, impacting 364 sponsored individuals and their families served by Unbound’s Nairobi program and 50 families served by Unbound’s Kisumu program. The program teams are closely monitoring the situation as numbers may rise due to continued rainfall.

At least 81 people in the region have died according to media reports. The heavy rains and subsequent severe flooding also caused road closures, damaged bridges and flooded schools. In low-lying areas, more than 2,000 people were forced to leave their homes to seek shelter.

Unbound families affected by the flooding experienced a wide range of losses, including damage to their homes, and loss of food and essential household items. Additionally, this weather event coincided with the planting season causing many farmers to lose their crops, which were washed away by the floods. Thankfully, to date, no serious injuries or casualties have been reported among families who are part of Unbound programs.

Unbound staff assesses recovery needs

Local Unbound teams immediately sprang into action in impacted communities to assess the well-being of families and ensure all sponsored families were accounted for. With the severe flooding, Unbound staff are still in the process of gathering detailed information.

Families began moving when water levels started rising. Many left their belongings behind and are currently being accommodated by friends and relatives. The most urgent needs at the moment are food and bedding.

“Those who live along [Athi River] have moved,” Joyce Magiri Ndungu, Unbound Nairobi social worker, said. “The cases will increase, and the most urgent intervention needed at the moment is household items. Most farm crops were washed away, and families' incomes will be affected, including their ability to meet basic needs."

All urgent needs were communicated to Unbound’s Kansas City office so that the Unbound Critical Needs Fund could be deployed to help mitigate the effects of this disaster and provide urgent support to the affected families.

According to the Kenya Times, the Ministry of Interior and National Administration has identified 37 Nairobi neighborhoods that are susceptible to flooding during heavy rains. Typically, the months of heaviest rains in Kenya are April, May and November, and climate change can contribute to more extreme rainfall.

Families had not anticipated the flooding situation. However, the Meteorological Department has since begun issuing alerts on areas likely to be affected by the ongoing rains, advising those living in high-risk zones, especially along rivers, to move to safer grounds.

How to help families affected by disaster

As reports continue to come in from the field and Unbound assesses the extent of families’ needs, here are steps sponsors and others can take now to help.

• • Pray. The Unbound community is keeping all those affected and those assisting with relief efforts in our prayers.


• • Learn about and donate to the Critical Needs Fund, which assists families in the aftermath of events such as floods, severe storms, earthquakes and fires.

Regional Reporter Nickson Ateku and Unbound Kenya staff contributed information and photos for this story.