ASAL Humanitarian Network (AHN)

ADVANCING INCLUSION AND HUMANITARIAN LEADERSHIP

Garissa County

Empowering communities to lead recovery and resilience in Garissa and beyond

OVERVIEW

Garissa County lies in the expansive lowlands of Kenya’s north-eastern region, bordered by Wajir to the north and Tana River to the south. It is a key gateway for cross-border trade and humanitarian collaboration between Kenya and Somalia. The county’s communities, predominantly pastoralist and agro-pastoralist, face recurring droughts, flash floods, and displacement linked to climate change and resource pressures..

Garissa has long played a central role in Kenya’s humanitarian landscape — hosting large refugee populations, supporting resilience programming, and serving as a coordination hub for ASAL response initiatives. Through the ASAL Humanitarian Network (AHN), member organizations in Garissa are driving locally led action that links emergency response to peacebuilding, governance, and inclusive development..

Organization

  • Woman Kind Kenya (WOKIKE)
  • Relief, Reconstruction and Development Organization (RRDO)
  • Pastoralist Girls Initiative (PGI)
  • Fafi Integrated Development Association (FAIDA)

Areas of Focus

  • Protection, education, and empowerment of women and girls in pastoralist and refugee-hosting communities.
  • Peacebuilding and conflict transformation through community dialogues and cross-border engagement.
  • Drought resilience, WASH, and humanitarian coordination in hard-to-reach settlements.
  • Livelihood diversification and market systems development for pastoralist households.
  • Advocacy and policy engagement promoting locally led decision-making and gender inclusion.

IMPACT AND CHANGE

AHN members in Garissa have implemented programs that strengthen community institutions, promote women’s leadership, and improve access to essential services for thousands of vulnerable households. Working closely with county authorities, they have contributed to better preparedness and coordination in humanitarian response.

These initiatives have:

  • Supported women-led advocacy networks influencing county-level policy and resource allocation.
  • Improved access to safe water and hygiene facilities in drought-affected communities.
  • Advanced peacebuilding and cross-border collaboration between Garissa and Somalia to reduce conflict over shared resources.
  • Enhanced youth participation and employment opportunities through capacity-building and small business support.