1. Background and Rationale
Kenya is subject to recurrent, cyclical, and erratic disasters characterized as natural (climatological, hydrological, biological, and the like) or man-made (technological, social, chemical, and the like). When disasters occur in Kenya, local actors are the first to respond. However, these local actors are undermined by gaps and shortcomings within the Kenya Disaster Response System.
As such, Johanniter International Assistance (JIA), and three local NGO first responders – The Rural Agency for Community Development and Assistance (RACIDA), St. Johns Ambulance of Kenya, and Merti-Integrated Development Programme (MID-P) (hereafter referred to as the consortium members) – commissioned a systemic analysis of Kenya’s Disaster Response System to identify key areas for investment and capacity building. The analysis revealed several categories of barriers that hinder effective service delivery by first responders in Kenya, which relate to policy, legal an