County Took Part at National DRR Symposium Celebration

By The COAST Reporter

Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com

Lamu County has once again demonstrated its strong commitment to resilience and disaster preparedness during the just-concluded National Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Symposium and International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) celebrations held from 10th to 13th October 2025 in Busia County.

The event, organized by the National Disaster Operations Centre (NDOC) under the theme Fund Resilience Now, Not Disasters,”* brought together government departments, counties, development partners, NGOs, CSOs, and UN agencies to exchange ideas on financing resilience and reducing disaster risk.

Despite being one of the least-funded counties in Kenya, Lamu County stood out at the symposium through three strong presentations that reflected the county’s innovative partnership-driven model in resilience building.

Mr. Shee Kupi Shee, the Head of Resilience and Peace Building at the Department of Public Service Management in Lamu County, delivered a presentation on “Financing Resilience through Partnerships,” highlighting how collaboration between the County Government, World Vision Kenya, and the Kenya Red Cross Society has transformed Lamu’s capacity to prepare for and respond to disasters even with limited resources.

Mr. Michael Mulei, Cluster Manager from *World Vision Kenya – Lamu Office, contributed to a session on “Youth and Community Voices in Resilience Building.”* He showcased how engaging school-going children and youth groups in DRR education and community-based initiatives has nurtured a new generation that understands and acts on disaster preparedness.

In a parallel presentation, Mr. Nassir, representing the Kenya Red Cross Society – Lamu Branch*, shared the county’s successful Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) Project, which has received overwhelming community support.

The project integrates environmental conservation with resilience building through mangrove restoration, reforestation, and climate adaptation activities across coastal and vulnerable zones.

Speaking after the symposium, *Mr. Shee Kupi Sheelauded the efforts of both World Vision Kenya and the Kenya Red Cross Society, noting that their partnership with the county government has created measurable impact in community resilience and disaster reduction.

> “As a tactful officer from Lamu County, I wish to sincerely commend our partners for walking this journey with us,” said Shee. “I urge the Kenya Red Cross Society to extend and expand its Nature-Based Solutions program to all our regions, especially the marginalized border zones that remain most fragile. Equally, I appeal to World Vision Kenya to reconsider their planned exit in 2027 — the services they render are too essential to lose. Lamu still needs them.”

Lamu County’s active engagement during the national event positioned it among the most visible counties after the host, Busia. The county’s presentations reaffirmed the power of partnerships and community ownership in building lasting resilience, setting a strong example for other regions navigating similar challenges.