Disaster recovery loans help Kenyans beat weather shocks
- Kagondu Njagi
- Jul 22, 2017
- 1 min read
After heavy rains flooded John Macharia's tailoring shop in 2015, damaging his stock, the 75-year-old considered quitting his business of 14 years.
But an offer came along he couldn´t refuse - a loan from a fund that partners with international aid agency World Vision, intended to help him recover from the disaster linked to a powerful El Niño climate pattern.
"It helped me restock my business," said the father of five in his shop on Ole Ndutu Street in western Kenya´s Narok town. "It has also enabled me to expand my business."
Macharia started with a loan of 360,000 Kenyan shillings ($3,472), and after repaying that in 15 months, secured another for 700,000 shillings.
"I have even bought a car and built housing units for renting out using the loan," he said.
Macharia is among hundreds of thousands of Kenyans who frequently struggle with weather and climate extremes, including flooding and drought.
NASA/EO-1
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