In recent months, Kenya has faced devastating floods triggered by heavy rains significantly impacting various regions including the capital city, Nairobi. The floods, which began in March 2024, resulted in widespread destruction and displacement of people and businesses. The floods caused severe disruptions across Kenya, affecting over 750,000 people. This disaster claimed at least 267 lives, left about 188 injured, and displaced 281,835 individuals. The damage extended to critical infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and dams, further complicating rescue and relief efforts.
In Nairobi, the situation was particularly terrible. Flash floods transformed roads into rivers and submerged entire neighborhoods, especially in the slums. In the Kibera and Mathare areas, thousands of residents found their homes underwater, forcing many to seek temporary shelter. The flooding in Nairobi not only caused physical damage but also led to significant human casualties. At least 11 people were reported dead in the early days of the flooding, and over 9,000 people were displaced as homes were immersed in water.
Joseph, a grade 8 student in the program, was affected by the floods when it hit his home in the Riruta area. He and his family found themselves in a desperate situation as their house, situated at a low level with poor drainage, was completely flooded by the rising water. Most of their belongings were ruined, floating, or sinking in the dirty water. Every morning, they battled with buckets to scoop out the water, hoping to reclaim some sense of normalcy. They had to use machine-cut stones to raise their bed above the water level, just to have a dry place to sleep. This became their daily routine for some days.
Schools all over Kenya were affected. Classes were scheduled to begin for the second term on May 6, but on May 3, the president directed the Ministry of Education to keep schools closed indefinitely due to the severe weather conditions. He further instructed the Ministry of Education to collaborate with the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG CDF) to secure funding for the repair and rehabilitation of damaged government-run school infrastructure.
The flooding had a significant impact on one of the program’s focus schools, Nelson Mandela Primary. Typically, during school breaks, NRCF runs a vital lunch program at Nelson Mandela. This program is crucial as many parents cannot afford daily meals, making this lunch sometimes the only meal students receive each day. Unfortunately, the floods hit Nelson Mandela hard, causing challenges to our lunch program. The school’s kitchen was flooded, forcing the cooks to wear gumboots and take extra precautions to prepare meals safely and also keep themselves safe.
Additionally, the usual water supply from the school’s tank became suspect due to potential contamination from broken sewer lines caused by the flooding. To prevent the risk of a possible cholera outbreak, the program opted to purchase clean water from vendors resulting in additional costs to ensure the safety and health of the students.
The floods highlighted the vulnerabilities of Kenyan infrastructure and the urgent need for improved disaster preparedness and response mechanisms. Experts pointed out that the frequency and intensity of such extreme weather events are linked to climate change. As a result, there is a growing call for more vigorous climate action and policies that address the environmental challenges contributing to these natural disasters.
