RRDO was formed to effectively respond to localized humanitarian cries from the refugee hosting communities, to mitigate the resource conflict between the host community and the refugees around Dadaab Refugee Complex and to contribute towards the millennium development goals in Northern Kenya. RRDO works in partnership with the community, government and other agencies to give a local perspective and long term community based approach to disaster risk reduction initiatives, minimize vulnerability to climate related hazards (e.g. floods, droughts, degradation etc) and to reduce household poverty in the pastoral communities. RRDO is currently partnering with UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), CRS (Catholic Relief Services), CIDA (Canadian International Agency), UUSC (Unitarian Universalist Service Committee), AFSC (American Service Committee) and Polish Centre for International Aid), to implement integrated environment and community based livelihood initiatives at Dadaab and in Ladgera District North Eastern Kenya.
PROFILE SUMMARY
RRDO is currently implementing an integrated environment and livelihood projects in Dadaab and Lagdera Districts in North Eastern Kenya. The Environment programmes aim to restore the degraded areas around Dadaab Refugee Complex through a forestation and conservation to the ecosystem. Whereas the Livelihoods programme focus much on infrastructure and provision of alternative means of life to the refugee impacted communities who are naturally pastoralists. Besides working directly with the Refugee host community, RRDO is also implementing integrated project activities at the refugee camps aimed at easing the current refugee crisis in North Eastern Kenya.
On a forestation projects, RRDO has established 10 tree nurseries in 10 different locations with assorted quality tree seedling species which are ideal for semi arid regions. Much of these seedlings are transplanted in well secured woodlots and the rest are distributed to the host community, schools, other organizations and refugee camps for planting to restore the degraded environment. To enhance water availability for a forestation and small scale farming, RRDO has excavated water pans near the established woodlots. In efforts to sensitize communities on hygiene and sanitation, RRDO is implementing a pilot solid waste management project.
To provide alternative livelihoods to refugee impacted communities, RRDO is implementing small scale vegetable farming projects especially through the use of green house technology with youth and women groups. RRDO is also providing suitable high quality fruit seedlings to the community for growing at the woodlots, homesteads and around the green house gardens. Out of these small scale horticultural activities, the community is able to generate income from the vegetables and fruits harvested thus improving their financial ability and nutrition uptake options. Other livelihoods projects undertaken by RRDO include and not limited to Livestock census and management plan.
In partnership with UNHCR, RRDO is at the completion phase of installing two generators power sets with an output rated at 200Kva for supply of power to Dadaab market centre, residential premises and all institutions in the environs of the Dadaab town. This will come a long way to improve the standard of living in this area. Other underway infrastructural development projects earmarked for 2012 include construction of 2 primary schools a dispensary
In partnership with American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), RRDO is currently implementing a Cash Relief Project at IFO refugee camp. This projects in benefiting 300 most vulnerable and latest refugee arrivals of mid 2011. Other refugee camp ongoing project is the pilot use of ethanol as an alternative source of cooking energy for the refuges community instead of firewood. This pilot phase is targeted to benefit 300 refugee households in the 3 main camps i.e. IFO, Dagahaley and Hagadera.
The main source of funding for programmes that are run by RRDO is from donors. We have partnered with NGOs, Local Administration, and communities to facilitate our project activity implementation. Currently, our main donor is UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), other donors include CRS (Catholic Relief Services), CIDA(Canadian International Agency), UUSC(Unitarian Universalist Service Committee), AFSC (American Service Committee) and Polish Centre for International Aid
