Learning to cope with drought

Sindio Kiberi (left), aged 40, lost three-quarters of her herd in the 2006 drought [Georgina Cranston]

Sindio Kiberi lost most of her goat herd in the drought that hit northern Kenya in 2006. Now she and her family are learning how to cope without the need for emergency aid

Forty-year-old Sindio lives in the nomadic settlement of Kurkum in Marsabit. Families in her community depend on livestock for survival and the 2006 drought had devastating consequences.

"The drought really affected us. My children nearly died of hunger" she said. “All the camels were so weak they could barely walk or carry any loads when we moved to find pasture."

Working with communities

CAFOD partner, the Diocese of Marsabit, helped Sindio by providing a lorry so the camels could be moved to another place.

The Diocese has been working closely with communities like Sindio's so that the people are better equipped to cope with drought, rather than having to depend on emergency aid like they did in 2006.

Hassan Ubane, a community eldern elder, explained what this means to the community: “If drought comes again it will finish everything here, there would be no life.

"But if we could find a way of developing this place then we could survive or if people living in other places accepted us, we could move.”

In Sindio's case, the movement of her camels meant they could recover. She says: “Now the animals are strong again. We are getting good milk from them and if we slaughter them the meat is also good.

"So the members of our community are also well and strong again. But it will take at least ten years to replace all the animals we lost if there is no more drought.“

Alternative living

Sindio has also been attending small business training provided by the Diocese of Marsabit. The women come together to find their own solutions to their often hostile climate.

With CAFOD's support, Sindio and other women from her village have started their own businesses selling provisions such as sugar, batteries and tea.

Sindio explained how her outlook on life has been changed: “I’ve realised that life is not just about looking after livestock – in the recent drought we lost almost everything and it was like we were handicapped.

"But since we started these small businesses we realise that we can be a bit better off. The future for this community is to expand businesses so that we may even be able to send our children to school."

"I have never thought of there being people I have never seen sending money to us and I thank God for their soft hearts,” continues Sindio.

“They must be full of compassion because if you love someone you can give them anything."

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