The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has appealed for Sh2.4 billion (CHF 15 million) to support ongoing humanitarian operations in Kenya as communities face worsening impacts of climate change.
The funds will be channelled through the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) to assist 300,000 people suffering from food shortages, lack of water, malnutrition, and outbreaks of disease across drought and flood-affected regions.
The appeal has been launched amid growing concern over the deteriorating situation in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs), where millions continue to endure failed harvests, livestock deaths, flash floods and rising health risks.
The Red Cross has urged partners and donors to move quickly to prevent the crisis from deepening.
“The IFRC and Kenya Red Cross are urging governments, donors, humanitarian agencies and the private sector to step up support immediately,” the organisation said. “Every delay deepens the crisis and puts more families in danger. The appeal seeks to ensure that no Kenyan goes hungry, thirsty, or without healthcare as climate extremes intensify.”
Naemi Heita, IFRC Head of Delegation for Kenya and Somalia, said the situation in the country reflects a complicated humanitarian emergency that extends beyond drought. She noted that families are grappling with overlapping challenges including hunger, displacement, and poor health conditions.
“Kenya Red Cross volunteers are on the frontlines every day, delivering life-saving assistance in some of the hardest-hit areas. Through this appeal, we aim to mobilise resources that not only address immediate needs but also strengthen communities against future climate shocks,” Heita said.
Across the ASAL counties, home to an estimated 16 million people, the humanitarian needs remain dire. Residents are walking long distances to find water after rivers and boreholes dried up, while malnutrition rates among children and expectant mothers continue to rise.
In some parts of the country, heavy rainfall has triggered flash floods and landslides that have swept away homes and farmlands.
The crisis has also led to an increase in diseases such as cholera, malaria, and Rift Valley Fever, straining already limited health facilities. Weather forecasts show below-average rainfall in 23 counties still affected by drought, while other areas, including Turkana and the Lake Basin, may experience excessive rainfall, raising fears of more flooding and water contamination.
Concerns over safety and protection have also grown, with reports of gender-based violence and early marriages as families struggle to survive amid extreme poverty.
The Red Cross said the appeal will expand existing interventions already in motion across the country. With a network of 262,000 volunteers and 700 staff in all 47 counties, the organisation has been distributing food and cash aid, clean water, and emergency medical services.
Additional funds will allow the Red Cross to extend water trucking services, fix and solarise boreholes, treat malnourished children, and operate mobile health units in remote villages.
Support will also be directed towards climate-smart farming, livestock protection, and restoring livelihoods to help communities recover.
The urgency of the situation was highlighted by the deadly landslides that struck Moror and Chesongoch villages in Marakwet East, Elgeyo Marakwet County, on 31 October, killing at least 26 people.
The Kenya Red Cross, working closely with county authorities, rescued survivors and delivered relief items despite accessibility challenges. Authorities have since warned of more landslides as rains persist, worsening an already delicate humanitarian condition.
KRCS Secretary General Ahmed Idris said the multiple crises facing communities in ASAL regions are stretching humanitarian capacity.
“Communities in Kenya’s ASALs are facing overlapping crises: prolonged drought, acute food insecurity, rising malnutrition, and protection risks, while disease outbreaks such as cholera and Rift Valley Fever compound the situation. In some areas, flooding adds further strain,” Idris said. “This appeal will enable us to scale up life-saving support and strengthen resilience against these multiple shocks.”
