Meet Kenya’s new ‘weather forecasters’ in Nairobi slums

Kibera community leader Maurine Adisa in a training session. [Courtesy]

A group of young men huddle together next to a storm water drain in Kibra’s Lindi area, seemingly excited by a message from one of the men’s phone.

The text message is from ‘Weather Mtaani,’ a group of local volunteers who interpret weather forecasts received from the Kenya Meteorological Department before broadcasting them to the local community in order to avert disasters that occur during heavy rains.