Goal: To reduce the risk and impact of disasters by building community resilience and enhancing preparedness.

Disaster risk is a growing concern in Kenya’s Lake Region and Sugar Belt areas, driven by climate change, environmental degradation, and socio-economic vulnerabilities. These regions are prone to floods, droughts, landslides, and other hazards that have devastating impacts on livelihoods, infrastructure, and ecosystems. According to the Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD), recurring floods in the Lake Basin, particularly around Lake Victoria, have displaced thousands of households, damaged farmland, and disrupted access to essential services. Similarly, in the Sugar Belt, droughts threaten agricultural productivity, exacerbating poverty and food insecurity.

The vulnerability of these regions is compounded by limited community preparedness, weak early warning systems, and inadequate institutional support. Studies by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) highlight that marginalized groups, including adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), youth, and persons with disabilities (PWDs), are disproportionately affected due to limited access to resources, information, and training on disaster resilience. Despite these challenges, building community resilience through inclusive, localized approaches offers a pathway to reduce disaster risks and enhance adaptive capacity.

HEDSO focuses on empowering communities to anticipate, prepare for, and respond effectively to disasters. By promoting inclusivity and collaboration, HEDSO ensures that vulnerable populations, including AGYW, youth, and PWDs, play an active role in building disaster resilience.

Key Interventions

• Community Capacity Building for Disaster Preparedness and Response: Conduct targeted training for AGYW, youth, and PWDs on first aid, evacuation protocols, and emergency communication, ensuring they are equipped to handle emergencies. Establish and train volunteer teams with clearly defined roles, providing them with basic response tools to ensure timely and coordinated action during disasters.
• Advocacy and Awareness on Disaster Resilience: Organize knowledge-sharing forums to raise awareness about climate-related disaster risks and strategies for resilience. These forums ensure culturally appropriate and inclusive disaster preparedness practices. Engage policymakers and local authorities to prioritize disaster risk reduction in development plans and adopt community-driven preparedness policies.
• Inclusion of Marginalized Groups in Disaster Planning: Facilitate the active involvement of AGYW, youth, and PWDs in disaster resilience planning to ensure equitable access to resources and opportunities. Promote gender-sensitive approaches to reduce vulnerabilities and ensure representation in decision-making processes.
• Strengthening Partnerships and Systems: Collaborate with local governments, NGOs, and community leaders to establish robust early warning systems and disaster response mechanisms. Leverage partnerships to scale impact and sustain community-driven disaster risk reduction initiatives.