Help the survivors of devastating flash floods in Mai Mahiu

Hi, my name is Heather Johnstone and I live and work in Musoma, NW Tanzania.

My amazing friend and colleague Rachel Wanjiku Karanja comes from the town of Mai Mahiru in Kenya's Nakuru County.

This picture was taken at a seminar we attended in Naivasha in March 2024. Not far from the Rift Valley and Mai Mahiu.

Tragically, the whole village of Kamuchiri Village in Mai Mahiu was devastated by a massive flash flood on Sunday when the Kijabe Dam busrt its banks.

Many people who had been sleeping soundly minutes before lost their lives as their homes were demolished, and they were swept away in the turbulent flood waters.

48 deaths have been confirmed, with many more people still missing.

Those numbers are bound to rise as more bodies are found.

The long rainy season has been relentless, creating huge mud slides, destroying small subsistence farms and acres of forest land alike.

But the aftermath of the Kijabe Dam burst is truly devastating to the region.

The financial toll is staggering, from funeral expenses, to hospital bills , to finding temporary accommodation, to rebuilding homes, to feeding the survivors, to housing and clothing those who have lost EVERYTHING in a flash!

Rachel has the biggest heart for helping people and so when I heard about the devastation to her home town, I wanted to try and help her whichever way I could.

Rachel has initiated a fundraiser in Kenya - she wants to, as a starting point, at least provide the survivors with a hot meal every day as they set about next steps of recovery and rehabilitation.

I want to call on my friends, colleagues and supporters in the UK to also help this community devastated by the flood.

If you feel you would like to help provide finances for this massive need, it will be greatly appreciated. Please give what you can. Every little helps, as they say.