FPFK Nyando Floods Response project

Introduction

The Nyando Floods Response project came into being after witnessing serious havocs caused by floods affecting human lives and properties in some parts of Nyakach and Nyando sub counties of Kisumu County. The displacement of people and destruction of livelihoods called for emergency support on the provision of the basic needs to the victims affected by the floods. The recurring floods are attributed by heavy rainfalls in the highlands, which lead to the two major rivers; river Nyando and Miriu breaking their banks causing destruction of livelihood and properties. The backflow from Lake Victoria as well caused displace- ments and destruction of property. As a matter of agency The Nyando Flood Response project funded by IAS Denmark and PMU sought to provide humanitarian support to vulnerable people affected by floods, their belongings carried away by water and who have been rendered homeless.

Objectively, Nyando Floods response project worked to;

Reduce the vulnerabilities of children and households of special groups to food insecurity through acute food
Increase the coping mechanisms of the most vulnerable displaced members of households
Protect and prevent exploitation of vulnerable girls and insure early return to school
Construction and rehabilitation of floods destroyed structures e school toilets and houses destroyed.

The project had a short lifespan of 6 months within which project launching was conducted. This was a very crucial event wher eby all the local stake holders, state and non-state actors including representatives from the National Cohesion and Integration Co mmission together with the host communities participated. The FPFK leadership and the project staff used the auspicious opportunity to expound on the role of the Church in actualizing holistic ministry with specific focus on the approaches intended for offering humanitarian support to the profiled victims of floods with dire needs.

To identify the neediest beneficiaries, the project staff in collaboration with the local administration, sub -county disaster management teams with the support of the local FPFK pastors took a deliberate initiative to conduct an open identification and pro filing of the neediest beneficiaries who were clustered into five categories such as; persons living with disability, vulnerable widows, critically ill persons, pregnant and lactating mothers.

The compiled list of the beneficiaries again was subjected to a water tight scrutiny and verification to ensure that no unmer ited beneficiaries receive the unwarranted support in lieu of the vulnerable group.

Achievements

Through the implementation of this project; enlisted target beneficiaries from 893 households received a monthly cash equivalent to the basic needs such as mattresses, blankets, mosquito nets (given once) and food stuff, which was sent through mobile cash transfer for three consecutive months whereas a few whose houses were adversely affected by the floods had their 39 houses rebuilt by the project.
The project went ahead and reconstructed 6 door pit latrines in 4 most affected schools and 29 houses within the project affe cted
Community sensitization activities on hygiene and GBV prevention in evacuation camps was also conducted by the project and a paltry 1,200 Households were reached out.
To retain teenage girls victims of floods in schools, the project supplied dignity kits to girls in 3 schools which saw a hoo ping 750 girls benefiting from the program.
For sustainability, the project trained and engaged 30 volunteers on GBV monitoring and response whose primary role was to sensitize and raise awareness within the communities about all forms of GBV, available legal channels followed to seek redress in an event of an occurrence.