Country: Kenya Source: Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development Under a relentless, scorching sun, with the earth’s dry and dusty surface, Tana River County looks like cracked porcelain after experiencing three consecutive failed rainy seasons between 2023 to 2025 and dry conditions persisting into 2026. Fatima, a married mother of two girls and three boys from Bondeni, narrates: “I rely on agriculture to earn a livelihood and support my family. But my crops were destroyed by drought, ” says Fatima gesturing toward the ravaged farmland, “I did not harvest anything from the farm. ” *Saumu, another resident of Tana River County and a mother of seven children, was unable to pay school fees for her children because of how severe drought affected her crop. My child was chased away from school because I could not afford to pay school fees. Saumu Fatima and Saumu are among thousands of Tana River County residents who have been affected by drought and floods in the last 3 years, exposing them to food insecurity, and health risks. Tana River Residents, who are largely pastoralists and small-scale farmers, heavily rely on farming, and livestock rearing for food, and sources of income. But after the rain failed, most residents lacked food, and money, affecting their living conditions. Saumu cleans green grams harvested using farm inputs bought through cash assistance support in Bondeni, Tana River County. Photo by Leonard Odini for Acted, August 2026. Fatima and Saumu’s story began to change when the Kenya Cash Consortium, led by Acted through the support of the Kenya Humanitarian Fund, managed by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) began to implement time-critical, life-saving project focused on the delivery of cash-based assistance to acutely food-insecure households. These interventions aimed to prevent further food security deterioration and contribute to stabilization of food-insecure communities. Saumu cleans green grams bought using farm inputs purchased through cash assistance support in Bondeni, Tana River County. Fatima stands in her green grams farm in Bondeni, Tana River County. She used part of her second cash transfer to buy farm inputs, with the hope that the harvest will sustain her family and contribute to her household food security. Photos by Leonard Odini for Acted, August 2026. According to Mohamed Turane, a Project Lead working with Arid and Development Focus (ALDEF), a local organization working with Acted, established in 1989 to provide emergency response, governance, and food security interventions for sustainable livelihoods. Those interventions ensured that most families put food on the table, dignifying their livelihoods, but more importantly, the local economy, which had become dormant, came back to life because of circulation of money. Mohamed Turane Mohamed Turane, Project Lead at ALDEF, engages with Rahima at her home in Wayu, Tana River County. Rahima is among the beneficiaries of the cash transfer program implemented by Acted with support from Kenya Humanitarian Fund, managed by OCHA, which has helped her household meet basic needs and improve food security during a prolonged period of drought. Photo by Leonard Odini for Acted, August 2026. These have been achieved because of the collaboration of various stakeholders, including National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) at the national level, County Government, local partners, and the communities. We had clear criteria in identifying vulnerable families. The use of a single registry ensured the right beneficiaries were identified and supported by the cash-transfer assistance. Mohamed Turane Mahamud Makoma with his restocked goats at his home in Wayu, Tana River County. Mahamud is among the beneficiaries of the cash transfer project implemented by Acted with support from Kenya Humanitarian Fund, managed by OCHA that is helping vulnerable households meet their daily needs and strengthen their resilience. Photo by Leonard Odini for Acted, August 2026. In addition, Raphael Wachira, a project officer at Pastoralists Girls Initiative (PDI), another Acted local partner for the cash-transfer assistance, agrees that community-led beneficiary targeting using the enhanced single registry was a good entry point in ensuring the intervention is well received by the target beneficiaries. The enhanced single registry had data from government-led safety net programs that verified eligibility of the beneficiaries. The inclusion of a seven-member verification committee comprising of the community, carefully selected, and inclusive in nature made the process more credible. Raphael When *Abdallah, from Dayate, received his first cash-back of KSh 6, 549 (EUR 44), he was overjoyed. “Receiving the cash on my phone changed everything, ” Abdallah says. “It gave me the dignity to choose what my family needed most. I bought food, school uniform and paid for my child’s exams in school, ” he fondly reminisces. Abdallah pays off outstanding debt at a local shop in Dayate, Tana River County, using funds received through the cash transfer program implemented by Acted with support from Kenya Humanitarian Fund, managed by OCHA that is helping vulnerable households meet their daily needs and strengthen their resilience. The assistance enabled him to settle essential household debts, easing financial pressure and helping his family recover from the impacts of drought. Photo by Leonard Odini for Acted, August 2026. Abdallah, who also had a diabetic patient in the house, says due to lack of proper food in the house, the patient’s health was deteriorating, but when he received the second phase of the cash transfer, he used the money to buy enough nutritious food for his family, and also animal food for his cattle to increase the production of milk. *Halima, a cash-transfer beneficiary and a mother of seven from Dokanotu says the money has been helpful in supporting her invest in her business, which was crumbling because of the effects of drought, but also supports the family by buying food and paying school fees. Halima with her children at her home in Dokanotu, Tana River County. Halima is among the beneficiaries of the cash transfer project implemented by Acted with support from Kenya Humanitarian Fund, managed by OCHA that is helping vulnerable households meet their daily needs and strengthen their resilience. Photo by Leonard Odini for Acted, August 2026 With the second transfer of the money I received, I bought food but also invested in the vegetable and milk business. Halima But more interesting for Halima, she was able to settle her debt, and those who owed her also managed to settle their debts, which ensured she had money in her pocket, hence supporting the children in paying school fees, buying uniforms etc. According to Halima, cash assistance is the preferred form of support because it allows families to choose how to address their most urgent needs, rather than receiving a predefined type of assistance. Halima stands in her shop in Dokanotu, Tana River County. She used the second and third cash transfers to restock her business after prolonged drought had reduced her income, enabling her to resume operations, meet customer demand, and generate income to support her family’s food and household needs. Photo by Leonard Odini for Acted, August 2026 Through the three rounds of cash-based transfers delivered under the project, Fatima, and other over 63, 000 beneficiaries in Tana River and Samburu Counties have regained hope and a sense of relief. I have been able to pay school fees and remedial money for my child, put food on the table, clear fee balance to pick a certificate that has enabled my child to enroll at the Islamic University of Kenya, to pursue Bachelor Education Arts. Fatima 63, 000 beneficiaries benefited from the cash-based transfers 12, 542 households reached by the cash transfer assistance delivered by Acted Fatima’s and other cash-transfer beneficiaries’ prayer is simple: for Acted to extent the program intervention period for them to gain stability and live normal lives like the rest of Kenya’s citizens. Reaching 12, 542 households, the unconditional cash transfer assistance delivered by Acted and its local partners, ALDEF, PGI and SND has enabled households in Tana River and Samburu Counties to meet their immediate need in a dignified and flexible manner. *For privacy reasons, the names of the beneficiaries have been modified.
Kenya: Drought Stricken Tana River County Residents Benefit from Cash Transfer Interventions for Sustainable Livelihoods
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