Let’s take it back to 2011, one year into the last decade. Four countries in the Horn of Africa were hit with the worst drought recorded in the past 60 years. Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, and Djibouti all faced the effects of this disaster; and in Kenya, 13 districts across the country were severely hit. By mid-year, with no access to food or water, an estimated population of 3.75 million Kenyans were on the verge of death.
Local and international news channels aired the images of Kenyans robbed of their dignity. Radio discussions were centered around the crisis on this side of Africa, and the local newspapers evoked empathy and sadness from within us. In many ways as Kenyans, we felt that the disaster had robbed our entire nation of our respectability. The empathy was followed by the will to act upon the crisis but there lacked a ready, credible platform to lead us into action.
The first step to action was taken by a coalition of Kenyan companies. Representatives from Safaricom Limited, Kenya Red Cross Society, Kenya Commercial Bank Limited, Gina Din Corporate Communication and the Media Owners Association formed a committee to start an initiative to raise funds for the Kenyans battling starvation. Named “Kenyans for Kenya” (K4K), the campaign was set with a target to raise Ksh. 500,000,000 for emergency food and medical intervention.
K4K launched a rapid response by Kenyans. Our caring nature, our sense of community and togetherness was evident in just the first week when Ksh 300,000,000 was raised. Donations came from around the country and from Kenyans in the diaspora. The endless amounts being sent in encouraged the K4K steering committee to raise the target to Ksh 1 billion.
Through KRCS’s experience in spearheading humanitarian programs, approximately 1.8 million Kenyans affected by the drought received direct aid. All the while, various fundraisers and rallies directed at different people and organizations were held.
Even with the new target, over Ksh. 1 billion was raised by Kenyan individuals, Kenyan companies, near and far. We showed what haba na haba hujaza kibaba means. We came together and in doing so showed the best of who we are.
Through our collective effort, solar-powered borehole systems were installed to provide continuous water supply, 326 metric tonnes of certified drought-resistant seeds were distributed to over 200,000 farmers; more than 500 greenhouses were distributed to schools and community groups.
Lives were saved.
The initiative ensured the Kenyans in need accessed nutritional screening services and polio campaigns were carried out within the districts.
This collaborative effort to overpower the disaster earned the Kenyans for Kenya Initiative a win in the 2011 Millenium Development Goals Award, the overall PR Campaign of the Year and the Not for Profit Campaign of the Year.
From this, we are reminded of our accountability to each other as Kenyans but also our togetherness in times of crisis. United we stand!
