Planet Plus Kenya recently partnered with Cambridge Medical Laboratory and X-ray Services to support 30 families affected by the heavy rains and flash floods in Mukuru kwa Ruben. As an organization that works in collaboration with grassroots communities to enhance the ability of natural buffers to protect lives and property from the harsh effects of climate change, it was necessary to acknowledge that people needed immediate assistance. Consequently, in collaboration with Cambridge Medical Laboratory and X-ray Services, we rallied behind the families whose property was destroyed in the flooding and who could only depend on well-wishers until further notice.
Kenya was among the countries in East Africa that recently experienced heavy rains of 300mm in 24 hours and flash floods. According to ReliefWeb, “the heavy precipitation caused damage and displacement across Eastern Africa, mainly in Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Uganda, and Tanzania, where an estimated 1.6 million people were affected; 473 lost their lives and nearly 410,350 people displaced, as of 17 May.”
Hence, on 1st June 2024, Planet Plus Kenya, in collaboration with Cambridge Medical laboratory and X-ray services, distributed donations from the general public to 30 families. This saw each family receiving 5Kgs of maize flour, 5Kgs of rice, cooking oil, sanitary towels, salt, toilet paper, soap and clothing. This would allow the households to afford a meal every day for at least a week until more assistance is rendered.
The previous flood experience of this magnitude in Kenya was in 1997/98. The floods resulted in households being affected, displacements, the establishment of displacement camps, submerged arable land, impacted businesses, and livestock deaths. The months that followed saw Kenya grapple with cases of disease outbreaks, famine, unemployment, and other challenges. The same is expected this year.
Planet Plus Kenya is on the lookout for partners to collaborate with to ensure this vulnerable group is supplied with essential items to uphold their dignity. We are also seeking medical establishments to reinforce Cambridge Medical Laboratory and X-ray Services’ capacity to host a medical camp for the communities of the Mukuru informal settlements. We believe that a healthy population takes better care of their environment, and the reverse is also true. Therefore, as we aim to improve the cleanliness and safety of Mukuru’s environment, we hope to treat the residents as well.
It is also our hope that the government prevents any further loss of lives and property due to unpreparedness. Riverbanks ought to be protected as stipulated in the Environmental Management and Coordination Act of 1999 (EMCA). This will attract resistance from communities that have built affordable homes next to rivers. The government can remedy this by justly providing these families with homes in the affordable housing projects. The overnight demolitions and evacuations that have occurred previously are not dignified and do not come close to solving the challenge at hand.
We call on the government to do better by Kenyans!