Growing Food,
Building Resilience
KHRN member teams supporting community farming and sustainable livelihoods — turning drought-prone land into productive fields for pastoralist households.
A Coalition Built for
Lasting Change
KHRN brings together 14 pioneering Kenya Local and National NGOs, embodying a locally driven agenda for change — building partnerships between communities, civil society, and the public and private sectors.
We implement integrated and sustainable interventions across the triple nexus of Humanitarian, Peace, and Development, breaking silos and creating much-needed spaces for local organizations to lead.
The Challenge
Humanitarian interventions in Kenya are constrained by an internationally-led reactive aid system. Affected communities lack agency, fostering aid dependency rather than self-reliance.
Our Response
KHRN introduces a coherent, complementary Triple Nexus system — shifting power to local agencies, enabling community-led responses, and building genuine self-reliance.
“Locally-led humanitarian responses are the default. We move away from short-term, project-based funding toward a model that integrates humanitarian, development, and peace programming.”
Our Work in Action
From gender protection to infrastructure and community leadership — KHRN members deliver integrated change across Kenya.
Gender & ProtectionEnding Harmful Practices
Women-led awareness sessions eliminating FGM and gender-based violence across ASAL regions.
Our NetworkA Network Built for the Field
14 locally-led NGOs sharing expertise, resources, and a unified vision for resilient communities.
WASH & InfrastructureWater Access in Mandera
50m³ masonry tanks with IOM and EU support delivering clean water to thousands in Mandera South.
AdvocacyRepresenting at Global Forums
KHRN members at the East Africa Humanitarian Summit — amplifying local voices in international humanitarian policy.
LeadershipLocal Leadership at the Helm
KHRN leadership driving locally-owned humanitarian coordination across Kenya's arid and semi-arid regions.
CoordinationSteering Committee in Action
Multi-organization steering sessions ensuring member alignment, accountability, and shared learning across all KHRN programmes.
Work Across Focus Areas
Browse photos from KHRN programmes by theme — from water and sanitation to community protection and capacity building.
Our 5 Strategic Pillars
Five interconnected pillars that drive KHRN’s locally-led humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding work across Kenya.
Institutional Capacity Development
Strengthens the governance, operational systems, financial management, and technical competencies of member NGOs, enabling them to meet humanitarian standards, access direct funding, and lead resilience programming independently.
Anticipatory Action
A proactive sector that shifts disaster management from reacting to crises to acting before they occur, based on forecast triggers. Anticipatory Action (AA) pre-positions resources and response protocols so communities are protected before shocks hit.
Localization, Advocacy and Influencing
Amplifies the voice and leadership of local Kenyan organizations to ensure that humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding actions are contextually relevant, sustainable, and accountable to affected communities.
Research and Learning
Shifts the balance of power in development by enabling local Kenyan actors to generate their own knowledge, pilot innovative approaches, and use data to influence national policy. Breaks reliance on international NGOs for research.
Triple Nexus Programming (HDP Nexus)
Advocates for integration of Humanitarian, Development and Peace programming. Emphasizes dismantling traditional silos to provide integrated, community-led solutions that tackle immediate vulnerabilities and foster long-term resilience.
14 Member Organizations
Pioneering local NGOs with decades of frontline experience across every region of Kenya.
Organisation for Sustainable Development Africa
A youth-led local NGO working with communities in Northern Kenya. Headquartered in Mandera County with offices in Moyale, Marsabit, Garissa and liaison office in Nairobi. Also registered with Federal Governments of Ethiopia and Somalia. OSDA's thematic focus areas are Peace, Security and Governance, Research and Advocacy, Food Security and Livelihood (FSL), Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Education, Climate Action and Health and Nutrition.
Climate and Health Connect
Founded by Kenyan female doctors to address the interconnection between climate change, health, and human vulnerability. Began as a grassroots movement, engaging in proactive household visits to impart critical knowledge to expectant mothers about antenatal care. Works predominantly in Kenya's ASAL regions.
Somali Lifeline Organisation
A Nonprofit NGO established in 2009 with 10+ years of experience in humanitarian, early recovery and developmental interventions in Somalia and Kenya. Works with national and state governments, local communities to mitigate drought, floods, conflicts, disease outbreaks and GBV. Strong capacity in Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction (CBDRR).
TINADA Youth Organisation
A youth-led organization with 20+ years' experience supporting young people. Uses family-to-family and Youth-to-Youth focused interventions to demonstrate human rights and sustainable community empowerment. Recently (2021) opened offices in Uganda. Promotes integrated mental health, education empowerment, Disaster Risk Reduction, and Decent Work.
Agency for Pastoralists Development
An NGO based in Lodwar, Turkana County implementing programs in pastoralist ASALs and along international border lines with Uganda, South Sudan and Ethiopia. Thematic areas include Peacebuilding and Governance, Sustainable Livelihoods Development and Animal Welfare, Women empowerment & Gender Equity, Disaster Risk Reduction & Climate Change Adaptation.
Action Life
Formerly Kiunga Youth Bunge Initiative (KYBI), est. 2007. Focuses on humanitarian interventions, human rights advocacy, security, and peace building. Youth-leaning in both operations and programs — premised on the fact that youths are most vulnerable to exploitation, misrepresentation, and radicalization. Operates across Coastal Kenya and Somalia.
Partner with Kenya's
Frontline Network
Donors, researchers, governments, and civil society organizations — join 14 pioneering local NGOs already transforming humanitarian, peace, and development architecture across Kenya.