During Caroline Owala’s childhood, flooding during rainstorms was a normal occurrence. “When it rained, it would be very difficult for us to even sleep because the flooding would get into the houses,” she told WRI. Caroline grew up in Kibera, the largest informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya. Nestled alongside the Ngong River, the settlement was at the mercy of the riverbed. During heavy rain, residents would watch as the river water spilled over, invading their homes before traveling into the rest of settlement.
In Kibera, drainage channels are constantly clogged with trash due to the lack of regular waste collection and sanitation services, and the density of the built environment means there are few green spaces to absorb excess water. As a result, homes are extremely susceptible to flooding over 50% of Kibera’s households flooded in 2015. Climate change is exacerbating Nairobi’s rainy seasons, with rainfall rates projected to increase by up to one third. This means m