ASAL Humanitarian Network (AHN)

STRENGTHENING RESILIENCE THROUGH LOCALLY LED ACTION

Wajir County

Local leadership driving lasting change across Kenya’s arid lands

OVERVIEW

Wajir County lies in the heart of Kenya’s arid north, a vast landscape of open plains shaped by wind, drought, and resilience. Its communities, largely pastoralist, depend on livestock for their livelihoods, navigating the challenges of unpredictable rainfall, prolonged dry spells, and limited access to essential services.

For years, residents have faced cycles of drought, flash floods, and resource-based conflict — crises that test not only their endurance but also the systems meant to protect them. Yet Wajir’s people have consistently shown extraordinary strength, innovation, and solidarity. Through the ASAL Humanitarian Network (AHN), local organizations are driving change from within their own communities, creating practical solutions that link immediate relief to long-term resilience..

Organization

  • Arid Lands Development Focus (ALDEF)
  • Women for Peace – Wajir (W4P-Wjr)
  • Wajir South Development Organisation (WASDA)
  • African Social Development Focus (ASDEF)
  • Rural Agency for Community Development and Assistance (RACIDA)

Areas of Focus

  • Drought response, education, peacebuilding, and resilience for pastoralist families.
  • Grassroots women’s leadership in peace and security, protection, and social cohesion.
  • Integrated humanitarian response, WASH, and cross-border recovery programmes.
  • Governance and civic engagement, capacity building for youth and women-led groups.
  • Livelihoods recovery, food security, and multi-country drought resilience work across Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia.

IMPACT AND CHANGE

AHN members in Wajir have collectively reached thousands of households through coordinated humanitarian and development programmes.
They have improved food security, supported drought recovery, and given women and youth new platforms for participation in county governance and peacebuilding.

These initiatives have:

  • Increased access to safe water for over 30,000 residents in rural and peri-urban areas.
  • Empowered women peace champions who now mediate local conflicts and advocate for inclusive governance.
  • Strengthened the county’s role in national humanitarian coordination forums, ensuring Wajir’s local voices shape national response strategies.