Where We Work
Working across Kenya's Arid and Semi-Arid Lands, where state services often stop short and climate shocks compound vulnerability.
The ASAL Context
DCI operates across eight Arid and Semi-Arid Land counties in Kenya. These counties, all members of the Frontier Counties Development Council (FCDC), are home to predominantly pastoralist communities whose livelihoods depend on livestock keeping and seasonal migration across vast, climate-stressed landscapes.
The operating environment is defined by recurring climate extremes. Prolonged droughts decimate herds and deplete water sources, regularly followed by devastating flash floods that displace families, destroy infrastructure, and contaminate water supplies. Communities face chronic water scarcity, limited access to health and education services, high poverty rates, and food insecurity. These cyclical shocks drive humanitarian need and make long-term development programming both urgent and complex.
DCI's deep roots, combined with strong relationships with local government, community leaders, and international partners, enable rapid response during emergencies and sustained engagement on resilience-building, livelihoods, governance, and WASH programming.
Operational Footprint
DCI's footprint spans Kenya's northern, north-eastern, and coastal frontier. Wajir is home; the other seven counties are reached through partnerships, mobile teams, and locally embedded staff.
Click a county name below to see its profile, or read about each one further down the page.
The Eight Counties
Wajir Town is DCI's headquarters. Bordering Somalia and Ethiopia, Wajir's pastoralist population faces chronic drought, cross-border insecurity, and major gaps in health and WASH access. DCI's most concentrated programming is here, spanning all five Development Objectives.
Bordering Somalia and home to the Dadaab refugee complex. DCI's work focuses on host community programming, WASH, livelihoods, and access to justice for refugees and migrants.
Kenya's northeastern frontier, where Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia meet. Mandera faces some of the country's worst water-scarcity scores, alongside cyclical insecurity. DCI works on WASH, climate resilience, and peacebuilding.
Kenya's largest county by area, with deep pastoralist roots and recurring inter-community conflicts over pasture and water. DCI engages on peacebuilding, livestock value chains, and climate adaptation.
The gateway to Northern Kenya, with intersecting pastoralist communities and growing urban pressures. DCI focuses on livelihoods, governance, and youth engagement.
Northwestern Kenya, home to Kakuma refugee camp and Kalobeyei integrated settlement. DCI's work spans refugee-host community integration, livelihoods, and food security.
Coastal Kenya, where the Tana River and seasonal flooding shape both opportunity and vulnerability. DCI focuses on flood preparedness, agricultural livelihoods, and social cohesion.
Kenya's island county, with unique coastal pastoralist and fishing communities. DCI's work emphasises climate resilience, livelihoods, and community-based peacebuilding given proximity to security challenges.
Regional Context
All eight counties are members of the Frontier Counties Development Council (FCDC), a regional bloc that advocates for Northern Kenya's marginalised communities and coordinates policy positions on devolution, security, and development. DCI's regional presence positions us to support both county-level delivery and the FCDC's collective agenda.
