Oxfam's work in Kenya in depth

Since starting work in Kenya in 1963, Oxfam has provided long-term development aid, emergency humanitarian relief, worked to promote peace and manage conflicts between communities, and lobbied governments and donors to alleviate the chronic poverty and suffering across the country.

The past 18 months have been an extremely difficult time for Kenya. What started as a period of great optimism – with only the fourth multi-party elections in Kenya’s history at the end of 2007 – was soon upset by violence and ethnic tensions which killed hundreds and forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes.

The violence soon subsided, but key underlying issues such as rising poverty, inequality, unemployment and corruption remain. The continued marginalisation of large rural areas of the country, pastoralist communities and poor urban settlements mean many Kenyans are living without access to basic services and livelihoods

However, Kenya remains one of the most economically and politically important countries in East Africa, with enormous potential. Oxfam is working closely with Kenyan partners and civil society to try and help that potential be realised.

Oxfam’s work in Kenya focuses on two of the most impoverished parts of the country – the Arid and Semi Arid Lands (ASALs) and urban Nairobi:

Combating drought in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands

In Kenya, the highest poverty levels remain in the northern pastoralist districts known as the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs). In areas such as Turkana, Mandera, Marsabit and Wajir, between 80-95 per cent of people are living below the national poverty line. These regions suffer from chronic marginalisation and decades of underdevelopment. They are particularly vulnerable due to a lack of government attention, poor private sector investment, livestock epidemics and recurrent drought. Communities here lack vital infrastructure such as adequate roads, schools, markets and health facilities. Conflicts between neighbouring and cross-border communities are common because of competition for limited water and pasture.

Oxfam’s ASAL programme works primarily in Turkana and Wajir, and focuses on:

• Improving access to clean, safe water
• Promoting proper sanitation, health and hygiene
• Strengthening people’s ability and opportunity to earn an income
• Improving people’s access to food during emergency situations
• Supporting peace building and conflict resolution initiatives
• Supporting enrolment and retention of children in school
• Building the capacity of local governance institutions, civil society, and community groups
• Working with others to advocate for the rights of pastoralists

Animal 'Off-Take' in Turkana

During the droughts the market value of even the best animals drops to less than 50 per cent of their normal value, meaning many people are unable to sell their livestock. When these animals die the owners lose their assets and their income. To support the most vulnerable households, Oxfam has initiated an 'Off-take' programme where weak goats and sheep are bought from their owners and slaughtered. After inspection to ensure it is safe, the meat is distributed amongst the community for people to eat, and the animal owners get to keep the money.

The project means people can still earn an income from their animals without having to rely on an unfair market skewed in favour of the buyer. It also decreases pressure on depleted pasture and water sources in times of drought, and increases the chances of survival for the other stock.

Development projects in poor urban settlements

Urbanisation is rapidly increasing, and a growing proportion of Kenya’s poorest people live in cities, in unplanned and informal settlements. In Nairobi – the Kenyan capital – 60 per cent of the population live in such settlements, in deplorable overcrowded conditions without access to basic services such as clean drinking water, proper sanitation, housing, education and healthcare. An analysis of urban poverty in Kenya carried out by Oxfam in 2009 found that around 4 million people living in urban areas are chronically short of food and malnutrition is increasing, particularly among young children.

With this in mind, we have stepped up our work in Nairobi, with the aim of reducing poverty through income-generating projects, supporting local partners to provide basic services such as water and sanitation, and promoting better governance at the local and national levels. Our Kenyan advocacy work looks to strengthen the voice of the urban poor – the millions of people which make up Kenya’s unheard majority.

Key issues

In both the ASAL and urban projects, Oxfam focuses on a number of key issues which are integral to addressing poverty in Kenya. These include:

Peace-building and conflict management

The post-election violence in late 2007 and early 2008 illustrated some of the tensions existing in Kenya. In the north of the country, inter-ethnic clashes over natural resources are also increasingly common, as is banditry and cattle rustling. In many urban areas, violence and criminality have increased as unemployment has risen and people have found it harder to earn an income. The lack of peace and security in all of these areas is a major deterrent to development.

Oxfam’s programme focuses on enhancing these communities’ capacity to resolve localised conflicts and promote peaceful co-existence. We work with pastoralist communities in 14 districts in the Eastern, Northeastern, Coast and Rift Valley regions of Kenya, and we also engage closely with the Kenyan government, through policy discussions and the National Steering Committee on Peace Building and Conflict Management.

Karamoja Conflict Prevention and Mitigation Project

Many pastoral conflicts occur across national borders. To address this Oxfam has established a programme in the Karamoja region – a cluster of arid and semi-arid areas encompassing parts of northeastern Uganda, southeastern Sudan, northern Kenya, and southwestern Ethiopia. 

The project aims to build the capacity of local government, community groups and civil society to contribute to durable peace and development in the region, by building trust and facilitating dialogue between the different communities. Events such as Inter- Community Peace Races have been successfully held to improve relationships between warring communities. Reformed warriors who participate are supported to find legal ways of generating income, rather than cattle rustling. Livestock killed or stolen during conflicts has also been replaced and redistributed to ensure the victims of conflict are not made to suffer further through economic hardship and loss of livelihoods.

Addressing the impact of climate change

Vulnerability to climate change is closely linked to poverty in many areas of Kenya. In the northern districts, pastoralist communities complain that the seasons are becoming increasingly unpredictable, the rains are failing more frequently than before, and droughts are becoming more common and more severe.

Oxfam works closely with local Kenyan partners to strengthen civil society to hold the government accountable for its response to climate change. Previous polices have failed to take into account the needs of the poorest and most marginalised communities, including pastoralists and women. Alongside our partners, we are pushing for the government to adopt pro-poor climate change adaptation strategies, and to play a greater role in international climate negotiations.

Promoting good governance

All of Oxfam’s work in Kenya is rooted in promoting better governance – at local, regional and national levels – and strengthening poor peoples’ ability to demand and defend their rights. We aim to ensure the government fulfils its responsibilities to poor Kenyans, through our own lobbying and advocacy work, and by strengthening civil society organisations to engage with the government on issues from livelihoods to basic services to climate change. We also engage closely with the private sector and local government authorities to try and increase accountability, transparency and inclusiveness.

Advocating for a better future for Kenya

Oxfam uses our experiences in development and humanitarian programmes in Kenya’s ASAL and urban areas, to influence policies being developed by local and national government, so that they improve the security and access to basic services of Kenya’s poorest communities. We work to promote better co-ordination between government, civil society, development groups and the private sector, and to foster better preparedness for disasters such as droughts and conflict, which devastate countless Kenyan lives but can often be anticipated and effectively mitigated.

 

Last updated: August 2009