How people with disabilities are leading flood preparedness outreach in Garissa

Mohamed Ibrahim Ibro, a polio survivor living in Bulla Nyuki, Garissa Town, moves from one homestead to another with other members of his group, urging people with disabilities to remain alert as heavy rains continue to raise the levels of the River Tana.

His motivation stems from a harrowing experience in December 2023, when El Niño-induced floods submerged his home. Stranded and vulnerable, Mohamed resolved to establish an advocacy group to raise awareness and advocate for support, including the provision of wheelchairs to improve mobility for persons with disabilities during floods.

He went on to register Crescent of Hope Disability and Climate Action Organisation, a community-based organisation comprising 13 members, all of whom are persons with disabilities. Together, they conduct outreach visits to flood-prone areas in Garissa Town, offering support and critical information.

The team has already visited areas including Bulla Nyuki, Iftin, and Bulla Game and plans to extend their campaign further.

“These visits are deeply personal, driven by the experiences we went through during previous floods. I am a survivor of the devastating floods that displaced families and disrupted lives in Bulla Nyuki. My team members are also victims,” said Mohamed.

Motivated by those painful memories, Mohamed and his team now offer direct home visits, where they sensitise communities on climate resilience, disaster preparedness, and inclusive early warning systems.

Equipped with laptops and community engagement tools, the team documents stories, identifies needs, and stresses the importance of disability-inclusive disaster planning.

“We coordinate the provision of wheelchairs for those without, especially in high-risk flood zones. We also distribute emergency contact numbers for use during evacuation,” Mohamed explained.

He vividly recalls the fateful day that spurred him into action.

“December 2023 is etched in my memory like a scar. I remember waking up to water surrounding our home. At first, it seemed minor—something we’re used to here. But the El Niño rains brought disastrous levels of flooding.”

“Being physically disabled, evacuation was incredibly challenging. Everyone had to grab what they could and head for safer ground. I watched helplessly as the water kept rising. It was terrifying.”

Mohamed said the cries of desperate neighbours and children still haunt him. His family helped him flee, even as they struggled to salvage whatever household items they could carry.

“All we could do was seek higher ground—soaked, frightened, and praying for divine intervention,” he said.

Other Topics To Read

• Northern Kenya
• Climate Change
• climate change
• Garissa
• Heavy rains
• floods
• River Tana
• persons with disabilities
• wheelchairs
• Mohamed Ibrahim Ibro
• How people with disabilities are leading flood preparedness outreach in Garissa
• Headlines

For Mohamed, the experience made it clear that climate change is no longer a distant issue—it is an immediate crisis affecting the most vulnerable first.

The ordeal inspired him to bring together others with disabilities in Garissa to form a community-based organisation focused on flood resilience for people with disabilities.

Zamzam Ahmed Ibrahim, 23, a group official, highlighted the growing risks that River Tana’s floods pose to persons with disabilities in flood-prone areas of Garissa.

“During our recent outreach, the stories we heard from displaced persons with disabilities were heartbreaking,” she said.

Zamzam added that many victims lacked wheelchairs, leaving them stranded during evacuations. She appealed to well-wishers to donate mobility aids to the affected population.

The group launched their outreach campaign following a flood alert issued by KenGen on April 25, 2025, warning communities along the Seven Forks cascade and Tana River of potential overflows due to sustained heavy inflows.

Communities were urged to move to higher ground and adopt other safety measures.

Garissa Town was severely affected by both the December 2023 El Niño rains and the April–May 2024 long rains, which caused the River Tana to overflow, resulting in deaths, destruction, and the displacement of thousands.

The Kenya Red Cross is also conducting awareness campaigns in Garissa to help mitigate the impact of the anticipated floods.