Using mass communication tools, this pilot communications project was initiated in December 2011 with Save the Children to provide communities with timely, relevant and practical information on livelihoods and food security as well as to improve dialogue and engagement with communities through.

1. Save the Children project
Wajir, Kenya
http://www.infoasaid.org

2. Wajir, Kenya
Source: http://www.openstreetmap.org/
Source: http://www.openstreetmap.org/

3. Situation Analysis
• Wajir County is located in Northeastern Province of Kenya. It
has a population of approximately 319,261 (1999 census).
• The economy consists predominately of pastoral and agro-
pastoral households, who rely on a nomadic lifestyle.
• Most poor and very poor households are reliant on food aid
(Mercy Corps EMMA August 2011).
• Wajir was one of the worst hit provinces in Kenya affected by
a drought in the Horn of Africa. In its mid-season report
(2011), the Kenya Food Security Working Group (KFSWG)
warned that the depletion of water sources and ongoing high
food prices would move Wajir into a full-blown food security
emergency.
infoasaid for Save the Children – September 2012

4. Situation Analysis
Save the Children implements Health, Nutrition, WASH
and Food Security and Livelihoods programmes in Wajir
South and Wajir East. Activities include:
• Supporting the Ministry of Health’s Integrated Management of
Acute Malnutrition programme by transporting therapeutic foods
to distribution points.
• Water trucking to schools and health facilities, rehabilitating
water supplies, conducting hygiene promotion campaigns and
distribution of water purification tablets, soap and buckets.
• Animal health programmes conducted in partnership with
Veterinaires Sans Frontieres (VSF) Belgium.
infoasaid for Save the Children – September 2012

5. Women and children attending a Nutrition and Health
Outreach Service point in Wajir County.
Photo Credit: Miranda Eeles/ infoasaid

6. A woman feeds her child
ready-to-eat therapeutic food
to fight off malnutrition.
Photo Credit: Miranda Eeles/infoasaid

7. Save the Children outreach workers registering patients.
Photo Credit: Miranda Eeles/ infoasaid

8. Communication Challenges
• Save the Children communicates with communities it serves
predominantly via health workers and food monitors. The
majority of information exchanged takes place through face-to
face meetings.
• Many of the outreach sites are far from the field offices of
Habaswein and Wajir. Communication between Community
Health Workers and the Save the Children Area Management
Office is limited.
• Getting timely accurate information from the field is a
challenge.
• No channel exists through which Save can systematically
disseminate or receive urgent information on the humanitarian
situation.
infoasaid for Save the Children – September 2012

9. Proposed Project
• Overall goal:
• To improve the quality (relevance/appropriateness,
coverage, efficiency and effectiveness) of Save the
Children’s aid programme in Wajir.
• Two objectives:
1. To provide communities with timely, relevant and
practical information on livelihoods and food
security.
2. To improve engagement with communities through
the use of mass communication tools.
infoasaid for Save the Children – September 2012

10. Proposed Project
• Two interventions:
1. A weekly discussion and phone-in programme on
Wajir Community Radio focused on health,
livelihoods, and food security. The programme will
include weekly market prices for livestock.
2. Establishment of FrontlineSMS hubs in Wajir and
Habaswein to enhance communication with
outreach workers.
Infoasaid for Save the Children – September 2012

11. Proposed Project
• Seven activities:
1. Recruitment of communication officers responsible for
rolling out the communications pilot in Wajir and
Habaswein.
2. Sponsorship of a weekly interactive radio programme on
Wajir Community Radio.
3. Price bulletins from weekly livestock markets in Wajir and
Habaswein broadcast on Wajir Community Radio.
4. Distribution of recordable radio sets to 46 women’s listening
groups.
5. Implementation of FrontlineSMS hubs in Wajir and
Habaswein.
6. Distribution of 250 mobile phones and solar chargers to
community health workers, Relief Committee
representatives, and Water Management Associations.
7. Capture of learnings from pilot project.
infoasaid for Save the Children – September 2012

12. Wajir Community Radio can be heard up to 150 kms from
Wajir town and is the most popular FM station in the area.
Photo Credit: Miranda Eeles/ infoasaid

13. Training on the use of
solar-powered chargers.
Photo Credit: infoasaid

14. Expected Outcomes
• Improved relations between Save the Children and the
community.
• An increase in the number of people accessing Save the
Children’s services in Wajir.
• Community members are better informed about health issues,
livelihood options, and Save the Children services.
• Pastoralists are able to negotiate better prices for their livestock
due to greater market price transparency.
• Women have improved access to information due to the
distribution of radios.
• Save the Children responds faster to emerging problems due to
improved information flows.
infoasaid for Save the Children – September 2012

15. Timeframe
October 2011 December 2011 March 2012 October 2012
Scoping trip
Procurement infoasaid Training Implementation Endline
Review
:
1) What worked is working well,
what is not working well, and why?
2) How, if at all, is the
communication project influencing
the overall humanitarian response?
infoasaid for Save the Children – September 2012

16. Thank you for your attention !
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http://www.infoasaid.org