AT A GLANCE — RACIDA IMPACT Across the Mandera Triangle
Communities at the Centre
Across the Mandera Triangle — Northern Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia — RACIDA continues to support agro-pastoralist communities in building dignity, self-reliance, and peaceful coexistence.
Guided by three strategic goals — providing humanitarian assistance, building resilience, and promoting peace and security — our work places communities at the centre of their own development. Recent progress demonstrates how integrated programming links immediate needs with longer-term transformation.
Healthier Communities: Open Defecation Free Villages
In Mandera East Sub-County, Sarohindi and Aresa villages have been officially declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) under the ELEVATE Africa Project, implemented by RACIDA with support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and funding from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
The two villages recorded 151 households with sanitation facilities against a combined target of 104 — exceeding the target by 47 households. Sarohindi achieved 76 households and Aresa 75. The declarations followed verification by the Mandera East Sub-County Public Health team, with IOM representatives witnessing the milestone.
This achievement reflects sustained community mobilization, household follow-up visits, sanitation awareness activities, and strong ownership by village elders, natural leaders, and sanitation committees. Commemorative billboards now stand in both villages, encouraging neighbouring communities to adopt improved practices.
Through ELEVATE Africa, RACIDA continues to integrate WASH, livelihoods, and peacebuilding interventions to strengthen resilience across Mandera East and Lafey. Maintaining ODF status will require continued community engagement, regular public health monitoring, and consistent hygiene promotion.
Restoring Movement and Shared Resources: Peace Dialogues
Grassroots inter-community dialogues are restoring freedom of movement and shared natural resource use between neighbouring communities. Under the Hanaano Programme — implemented by RACIDA in partnership with Concern Worldwide and funded by Irish Aid — a recent inter-community dialogue in Ashabito and Mandera West brought Degodia and Garre community members together.
Elders from both sides agreed to restore normalcy through free movement and shared use of resources along the Gofa, Eriskinto, and Takaba corridor. The dialogue promoted resource sharing, conflict prevention, and environmental stability.
Complementary peace work under the ELEVATE Project (with IOM and KOICA support) has included grassroots peace caravans along the Rhamu–Bambo corridor, reopening pastoral lands and renewing community commitments to lasting peace. When communities choose dialogue, peace creates room for livelihoods to thrive.
Integrated Livelihoods and Nutrition
Across northern Kenya, southern Ethiopia, and Gedo, Somalia, RACIDA’s integrated programming connects emergency response with longer-term resilience. Climate-smart agriculture, livestock health, nutrition-sensitive interventions, and water infrastructure improvements are helping families recover from shocks and build sustainable livelihoods.
From farmers receiving personalised extension support under ELEVATE, to nutrition and hygiene promotion under Hanaano, to cross-border natural resource management, these efforts demonstrate that lasting change comes when communities lead and partners coordinate.
Looking Forward
These efforts are guided by RACIDA’s three strategic goals and our belief that communities must be at the centre of their own development trajectory. From sanitation milestones and peace dialogues to climate-smart livelihoods, the work across the Mandera Triangle continues to advance dignity, self-reliance, and peaceful coexistence.
We are grateful to our partners and donors — including IOM, KOICA, Concern Worldwide, Irish Aid, the European Union, and county governments — whose support makes this possible.
For more information, visit www.racida.org or contact admin@racida.org.
