The Kenya Red Cross has embarked on a number of projects since the beginning of the year aimed at preparing Kenyans living in informal settlements with disaster preparedness skills.
According to the institution’s Urban Risk Reduction Assistant Project Officer Newton Wambua, they have set up community based disaster risk reduction teams in informal settlements including Mathare and Mukurwe slums and trained them on basic disaster management skills.
He says they have worked with other stakeholders such as Nairobi County Fire department and St. John Kenya in conducting emergency drills with slum dwellers.
Wambua adds they are partnering with Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) to develop an Urban Risk Reduction guide to equip pupils with disaster management skills.
This comes as the world prepares to celebrate World Population Day on Saturday with Kenya’s theme being ‘Disaster Risk Reduction in Kenya’.
National Council for Population and Development Director General George Kichamu says slums in urban areas have suffered most from disasters such as infernos, floods, terrorism and buildings collapsing.
AUTHOR: NICANORY MUHANDO