National Drought Management Authority launches Sh130m drive for ASAL resilience projects

The National Drought Management Authority has launched a Sh130.8 million fundraising campaign to finance community-led drought resilience projects across Samburu, Isiolo, Laikipia and Meru counties.

The campaign is being spearheaded by long-distance runner Daniel Ebenyo, who has been appointed goodwill ambassador for the NDMA Road Race for Peace and Resilience 2026.

The funds will support four priority projects identified by communities in the four counties, focusing on improving access to water, restoring degraded ecosystems, promoting climate-resilient livelihoods and strengthening peacebuilding in some of Kenya's most drought-prone regions.

The interventions are expected to benefit more than 5,000 households, more than 30,000 people and at least 50,000 livestock while reducing the impact of recurring droughts that have disrupted livelihoods for decades.

Speaking during his unveiling as ambassador, Ebenyo urged Kenyans to support the initiative, saying it is about restoring hope to communities grappling with drought, insecurity and poverty.

"This road race is about much more than running. It is about ensuring that future generations spend their time learning rather than walking long distances for water," he said.

"It is about protecting livelihoods, promoting peace and giving hope to every child growing up in our drylands." 

The inaugural road race will be held on August 8 in Archers Post, Samburu county, bringing together government agencies, county governments, development partners, the private sector, athletes and members of the public to raise funds for the projects.

For Ebenyo, the campaign is personal. Born and raised in Baragoi, Samburu county, he said he experienced first-hand the hardships facing families in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs).

He recalled walking nearly 24 kilometres to and from school every day while navigating drought and insecurity before education eventually paved the way for his international athletics career.

Ebenyo said those experiences inspired him to accept the ambassadorial role in the hope his journey would encourage young people from marginalised communities not to give up on their dreams.

"Together, we can help communities access water. Together, we can strengthen livelihoods. Together, we can build peaceful, resilient communities and ensure the next generation grows up with more opportunities than we had," he said.

Ebenyo formally committed himself to the campaign by signing the Road Race Ambassador Commitment Charter, pledging to champion drought resilience, promote peace, mobilise public participation and advocate partnerships that transform livelihoods across Kenya's drylands.

NDMA chief executive officer Lt Col (Rtd) Hared Adan said the initiative marks a shift from responding to drought after disasters strike to investing in long-term resilience that enables communities to withstand climate shocks before they become humanitarian crises.

He said the authority was working closely with residents to ensure projects are identified at the grassroots, implemented with community participation and eventually handed over to local communities for management and sustainability.

"We are trying to bring together communities in the four counties. This region has experienced insecurity for many years but, once they come together for sports, it will promote peace," Adan said.

NDMA board chairman Shallow Yahya said Ebenyo's life story makes him an ideal ambassador because it reflects the resilience the authority seeks to build among communities living in Kenya's drylands.

"Daniel Ebenyo's life story mirrors the resilience we seek to build. His journey reminds us that resilience can transform lives when opportunity meets determination," Yahya said.

The authority said drought should no longer be viewed solely as a humanitarian emergency but as a development, economic and security challenge requiring sustained investment and collective action.

"Building resilience is a shared responsibility that demands leadership from government, investment from the private sector, support from development partners and active participation by communities and every Kenyan," Adan said.

Samburu, Isiolo, Laikipia and northern parts of Meru remain among Kenya's most drought-prone regions, where recurrent dry spells continue to threaten livelihoods despite improved rainfall in recent seasons.