Kenya’s 23 counties in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) are home to over 10 million people and constitute over 70 percent of Kenya’s landmass. ASAL counties have suffered and continue to suffer from recurrent drought, human conflict, and a legacy of marginalization by government and lack of international investments.
To address these issues, the Partnership for Resilience and Economic Growth (PREG) in Kenya brings together humanitarian and development partners to build resilience in these vulnerable pastoralist communities in northern Kenya. USAID defines resilience as “the ability of people, households, communities, countries, and systems to mitigate, adapt to, and recover from shocks and stresses in a manner that reduces chronic vulnerability and facilitates inclusive growth.”
The PREG program unites multiple USAID programs and implementing partners which work with the Kenya National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) and county governments to coordinate resilience and economic growth activities. PREG targets nine ASAL counties and builds on community-identified strengths and priorities, while tapping into the remarkable survival abilities of local populations.