“What do I do now that my sons have been swept away?”
The tragic story linked above is only one from over 250,000 people impacted by the widespread devastation caused by flooding in and around Nairobi.
This tragedy has not made headlines in the US, but those affected have no choice but to confront the painful reality of destruction and displacement. Torrential rains devastated Kenya for nearly a month. Thousands of people were displaced as their homes were swept away. Hundreds have died from the flooding. The future for those who remain is uncertain.
Years ago, our team read, When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor and Yourself, which has helped us understand that different circumstances call for different forms of aid. The flooding in Kenya has brought this ongoing conversation to the forefront once again.
In an emergency of this scale, relief aid is needed to preserve life. But to provide relief aid for too long or in the wrong circumstances can have disastrous consequences as well.
I highly recommend you read the entire book, but here are some principles and concepts from chapter 4, “Not all Poverty is Created Equal”:
Relief aid provides an immediate response to unforeseen disasters (war, natural events, famine, etc.). The assistance is meant to provide temporary stabilization for a community in urgent crisis. The recipients are not asked to contribute towards the assistance that is being given. They simply receive emergency aid to preserve life and “stop the bleeding.”
Development aid engages local people and resources to participate in the improvement of the community to accomplish slower, stronger, and more sustainable results. It’s not designed to meet emergency needs, but it is well-suited to break the cycle of poverty and result in generational transformation.
Many well-intentioned organizations have misapplied relief aid to long-term community challenges. This causes a domino effect of unintentional consequences that hinder vulnerable communities from addressing root causes that are preventing flourishing. Misapplied relief aid also creates a cycle of dependency that often minimizes the dignity of the recipients.
Over the last twelve years, 127 Worldwide has built a strong foundation to invest the vast majority of our efforts toward development aid.
Development aid is not the flashy, exciting path that attracts people like a moth to a flame. Development takes time. It takes planning, equipping, collaboration, and honest evaluation within relationships built on trust. Ultimately, through strong, competent local leaders we aim to provide vulnerable communities with the tools they need to use their God-given potential to meet the spiritual and physical needs of their own communities.
In times of crisis, we strive to err on the side of generosity. We create paths that allow for short bursts of crisis assistance. We set aside a small portion of our partner grant program budget for emergency relief aid that might arise. Because of our commitment to long-term development, even this relief aid comes with strategy, collaboration, and clear intentions.
Because relationships with our local leaders are key, when we were presented with the opportunity to provide relief aid, we also asked hard questions to assess the biggest needs and our best opportunity for impact with our limited resources.
Several young women in Swahiba’s Mentorship and Empowerment program lost their homes in the flood. Their families, who already struggle in the day-to-day challenges of living in the largest slum in Africa, are lacking the basic provisions during this devastating time. We saw an opportunity to tangibly demonstrate care and concern for our Kenyan neighbors. We invite you to join us by donating to the relief aid efforts in response to this crisis. 100% of your donation will go directly to Swahiba as they minister to the flood victims in Kibera. Click HERE to give to this campaign.
We’re proud of the difficult work we have done in the last few years at 127 Worldwide to clarify our purpose as an organization. We’re committed to the slow and intentional work of development to help vulnerable communities flourish. At the same time, we are ready and well-equipped to be the hands and feet of Christ when a crisis arises.
Do you have questions about the impact of the flooding or want to know more about healthy aid? We’d love to hear from you! Drop us a note at restorehope@127worldwide.org.
