How climate change turned Lake Victoria into adversary that left community in peril

The situation at Pombo in Nyando where the whole Village and schools were submerged in water from the overflow of Lake Victoria. [File, Standard] Nestled deep in the heart of Homa Bay County, the small fishing communities of Osodo and my home village in Kochia Ward painted a picture of blooming prosperity, four decades ago. The shores of Lake Victoria teemed with various fish species, offering a bountiful and affordable source of food, and sustenance for the locals. Fish was so plentiful that whenever our family had no other food to eat, we ate fish. The lake's clear waters lapped gently at the shoreline, inviting young children to play and swim, maintaining a level that seemed to promise eternal stability. Standing on the shoreline, we would see fish swimming in unison as if acknowledging the alluring traditional Luo music. In those days, the thought of devastating floods and backflow of lake waters ravaging our community was as foreign as the concept of climate change is to many today. Fast-forward to April and May of this year, and the contrast could not be starker. Our communities witnessed a cataclysm of unprecedented magnitude, shattering memories of the tranquil of my youth and laying bare the harsh realities of our changing climate. The floods that inundated Osodo and Kochia were not merely an anomaly. They were a grim testament to the elevated sea levels - in this case - the rising water levels of Lake Victoria and the escalating temperatures brought on by global climate shifts. The very waters that had once been a lifeblood of our community transformed into a force of destruction. As the flood swept through villages, it left no aspect of life untouched. Human lives were lost, livestock swept away, homes and farms destroyed, and educational institutions and healthcare facilities-the pillars of our society-crumbled under the storm. Children found themselves abruptly cut off from their education, their schools transformed into small islands and lagoons. In some cases, the facilities were reduced to waterlogged ruins. The crisis deepened as displaced families sought refuge in the few schools that remained above water. This situation inadvertently created a host of new challenges. As floodwaters receded and schools prepared to resume, many classrooms remained occupied by those displaced and most of whose homes had been devastated by the raging waters, prolonging the disruption to education. Our health sector was equally in dire straits. Community health facilities, crucial for local medical care, became inaccessible to entire villages due to flood damage. At a time when medical services were most desperately needed, our community found itself cut off from healthcare, exacerbating the crisis. The severity of the situation ultimately forced the intervention of county officials, who struggled to mount a response to this multifaceted disaster. Their efforts, while commendable, underscored the inadequacy of our preparedness for such climate-induced calamities. These events in Osodo and Kochia villages powerfully illustrate the far-reaching impacts of climate change. It shows how a single climate disaster can set off a ghoulish chain reaction that affects multiple sectors while undermining the foundations of community life - education, health, and agriculture. The Ministry of Education's data shows over 100 schools nationwide were damaged by recent floods, affecting more than 50,000 students. The situation was compounded by the displacement of populations. According to the Kenya Red Cross Floods Impact and Intervention 2024 report, since the onset of the March-May rainfall season, over 101,132 households have been affected by floods, with 151 schools and 45 healthcare facilities affected, underlining the severity of this crisis. The health sector faced equally daunting challenges as malaria and waterborne diseases sharply spiked in flood-prone areas, while about 15 per cent of rural health facilities were damaged or made inaccessible due to climate events in the past year. This is a warning about the challenges we face in an era of climate uncertainty, so there is an urgent need for sustainable response strategies to protect our most vital services. It also unearthed a critical lack of capacity to respond to climate change disasters. This lack of resilience, adaptation and mitigation due to a gap in preparedness and response capabilities is not only unique to our community in Homa Bay, but it also reflects a broader challenge faced by Kenya and many developing nations. There is an urgent need to build our capacity to respond, which requires us to focus on a few critical areas. First, we need to analyse climate policies and their education and health implications, enabling us to provide evidence-based recommendations to policymakers at local and national levels. We should also endeavour to develop comprehensive climate adaptation and mitigation strategies focusing on protecting education, public health, and healthcare systems in vulnerable communities. In addition, we should deliberately move to equip researchers and staff at all levels with practical skills to assist in the on-ground implementation of climate resilience projects, bridging the gap between policy and action. Creative problem-solving measures could also foster the development of innovative, locally appropriate solutions to climate-related education and health challenges. Finally, we need to recognise the critical role of funding in climate action and train policymakers and implementers on developing results-focused proposals for climate finance. This will include understanding various funding mechanisms, from global funds to private sector investments, and crafting compelling, impactful proposals. However, building this capacity is not easy. It is akin to building a ship while sailing or a plane in flight. To spearhead this effort, there are ongoing discussions between Kenyan and Indian universities to establish climate, health, and education schools-one in Kenya and another in India-to lead this capacity-building effort in Africa and India, promoting south-south collaboration. The schools will feature theoretical learning and practical, field-based experiences and innovation, allowing participants to gain hands-on experience in communities like Kochia and Osodo villages. Bringing together participants from diverse backgrounds will facilitate knowledge exchange, foster cross-cultural understanding, and build a network of climate leaders who can collaborate on transnational climate challenges and solutions. The schools will also serve as incubators for new ideas, catalysts for regional cooperation, and bridges between scientific knowledge and community action. Through this initiative, the tragedy of Kochia, Osodo, and other villages will be transformed into a productive situation, a springboard for positive change, one that empowers a new generation to lead the fight against climate change and its impacts on health, education, and wellbeing. It will represent a commitment to not only adapt to the challenges posed by climate change, but also to foster the expertise and leadership necessary to create a more resilient, sustainable future for communities across the Global South. With lessons learnt, transforming the recent climate-driven tragedies into a collective smile is a possibility. Dr Osewe is the director of Regenesys Africa. Email:patricko@regenesys.net

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