By Ahmed Hussein.
The Positive Impact of Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance after Drought in Mandera County.
Abdia Abdullahi Hussein, a 38-year-old single mother, lives in Sala village in Lafey sub-county of Mandera county with her six children. The area has been severely affected by drought.
The effect of the drought was devastating as the family solely depended on livestock as a source of income. Without enough water and food for their livestock and the family, Abdia suffered financial losses due to decreased productivity, illness, or even death of their livestock.
This has led to food insecurity, poverty, and the inability to meet basic needs. In this case, the family was forced to sell off their animals at reduced prices in search of better conditions to cope with drought, further disrupting their livelihoods as the drought depleted their resilience of livestock-dependent, making them more vulnerable to future climate-related disasters.
The drought had a significant impact on her young children as they are particularly vulnerable to its effects, caused by a lack of access to clean water and nutritious food which led to malnutrition of her three kids who are less than 5 years old. It has also disrupted the education of her children as they need to travel long distances to fetch water or assist their family in coping with the drought, causing emotional distress related to the unavailability of water and food.
Without the support from the program, Abdia’s family would have struggled to recover from the impact of the drought. However, RACIDA, through funding from the International Organization for Migration, designed a program that sought to assist the most vulnerable families who have been affected by the drought through cash transfer. After a thorough assessment of her family situation by the community leaders, Abdia was deemed eligible for the cash transfer program. The cash transfer was disbursed in two batches within four months (December 2023 to March 2024), with each family receiving 10,501 Ksh per month.
The cash transfer helped her purchase food, water, and other essentials for her family. With this support from RACIDA, she was able to keep her children in school, seek medical treatment for her family when needed, and even start a small kiosk selling food and non-food items.
Over time, Abdia and her family were able to gradually recover from the shock of the drought and become more resilient to future challenges. The multi-purpose cash assistance not only provided her with immediate relief but also empowered her to build a better future for her and her family and achieve long-term success.
It is a testament to the impact that targeted cash assistance can have in rebuilding lives after a drought. “I never thought I would be able to recover after the drought devastated my livelihood, but the cash transfer program implemented by RACIDA gave me a second chance to start a new life and provide for my family. I was on the brink of despair, but the support from RACIDA allowed me to invest in sustainable business and secure a stable income for the future.
The assistance I received through the cash transfer not only helped me provide for my family and rebuild my business but also restored my hope for a brighter tomorrow despite the challenges of the drought,” Abdia narrated.
She continued, “I don’t underestimate the power of the little help from RACIDA during the tough times. The MPCA allowed me to rebuild my life and look forward to a better future after the drought.”