European Union in Kenya./PHOTO; EU
The European Union has announced €250,000 in humanitarian aid to support families in Kenya caught in a rapidly worsening cycle of drought, severe flooding, and fast-spreading disease outbreaks.
With the country’s humanitarian needs escalating sharply, the EU’s emergency funding aims to bolster frontline response efforts led by the Kenya Red Cross Society.
According to the EU Delegation to Kenya, the situation has reached a critical point as “over 1.8 million people are currently facing acute food insecurity,” with projections indicating that the number could rise to 2.1 million by January 2026 if conditions do not improve.
Shrinking water sources, increasing malnutrition, and declining humanitarian financing have combined to put already vulnerable communities under even greater pressure.
The new EU contribution will help the Kenya Red Cross deliver essential food assistance, clean water, cash support, healthcare, and protection services to more than 150,000 people in the hardest-hit areas.
The six-month intervention runs until the end of May 2026 and forms part of the EU’s broader support to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ (IFRC) Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF).
The EU Delegation underscored the urgency of the situation, noting that Kenya is experiencing “overlapping climate and health emergencies” that are deepening humanitarian vulnerabilities faster than responders can scale up assistance.
Much of the country’s arid and semi-arid lands remain in crisis after consecutive failed rainy seasons left 179,000 people in emergency conditions.
At the same time, 741,000 children and 109,000 pregnant or lactating women are at risk of acute malnutrition.
Recent heavy rains have compounded these challenges, triggering floods and landslides that destroyed homes, displaced families, and wiped out livelihoods.
Entire communities are now shifting between climate extremes, prolonged drought followed by devastating floods, with little time to recover.
Public health risks are also rising sharply. Cholera outbreaks are spreading in parts of Narok and Nairobi counties, with Narok reporting a concerning 9% case fatality rate.
Waterborne and zoonotic diseases remain a persistent threat in drought-affected counties where access to clean water is limited, and health systems are under strain.
The EU highlighted that the funding comes at a time when global humanitarian resources are tightening.
“Humanitarian funding continues to decline,” the Delegation noted, warning that the gap between needs and resources is widening and leaving frontline responders overstretched.
The EU’s support through DREF is intended to ensure rapid, flexible funding for situations that do not trigger large-scale international emergency appeals but still require immediate action.
This includes localized disasters, climate shocks, and rapid-onset crises that can escalate quickly if left unaddressed.
Established in 1979, the Disaster Response Emergency Fund acts as a lifeline for National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies facing sudden emergencies.
The EU, together with its Member States, remains the world’s largest humanitarian donor and continues to prioritize early action and community protection in crisis-prone regions.
Earlier this year, the European Commission signed a €16 million humanitarian contribution agreement with the IFRC to help replenish DREF for eligible operations.
This ensures that when national societies such as the Kenya Red Cross request urgent support, funds can be released quickly and later reimbursed.
The Delegation emphasised that the EU’s mandate is anchored in solidarity and impartial humanitarian principles.
As stated in its background brief, European humanitarian aid aims “to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering, and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and human-made crises.”
With climate shocks intensifying across East Africa and disease outbreaks becoming more frequent, the EU’s latest contribution is expected to reinforce community preparedness and help families meet basic needs as the situation evolves.
Humanitarian actors warn that without sustained investment, the combination of climate extremes, food insecurity, and health threats could deepen into a prolonged emergency.
For now, the €250,000 allocation provides a critical boost to ongoing efforts to protect the most vulnerable families who, after years of recurrent crises, continue to face some of the harshest impacts of climate change in the region.
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