Education4 Jul 2020
A Bleak Future Then, Now Shining So Bright
Once a herdsgirl who watched other children go to school, 12-year-old Iman Ayisha now tops her class at Kalacha Nomadic Girls’ School — and dreams of becoming a doctor.
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Indigenous NGO · Since 2008
Empowering the pastoralist communities of the drylands.
PACIDA empowers pastoralist and agro-pastoralist communities across Northern Kenya and Southern Ethiopia through sustainable, community-driven development — integrating humanitarian relief, resilience-building and peacebuilding through the Humanitarian–Development–Peace (HDP) Nexus.
Who we are
An indigenous organisation, rooted in the drylands it serves.
Founded in 2008 by local scholars and development practitioners, PACIDA works across Marsabit County and Southern Ethiopia — integrating humanitarian relief, long-term development and peacebuilding through our Humanitarian–Development–Peace Nexus approach.
What we do
Five pillars, one integrated approach
Our programmes address the drylands’ greatest challenges together — because water, livelihoods, education, peace and climate resilience are inseparable.
Our impact
Measurable change, community by community
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Years of service since 2008
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People reached across the ASAL
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Boreholes & water points rehabilitated
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Integrated thematic pillars
18,600
people & their livestock
Featured project
Solar-Powered Boreholes for Laisamis
Laisamis, Marsabit County
Rehabilitating and solarising strategic boreholes to deliver clean, reliable, low-cost water to pastoralist communities and their livestock.
Funding partner: European Union / Kenya RESILIENCE programme
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We do not bring development to the drylands — we build it hand in hand with the communities who call these lands home. Their resilience is our greatest resource.
Patrick Katelo
Chief Executive Officer · Head of State Commendation (HSC), 2023
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See the drylands through our lens
From boreholes that bring water within reach to peace dialogues under the acacia tree, watch how community-led change unfolds across Northern Kenya and Southern Ethiopia.
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Latest stories
View all storiesNews from the field
Livelihoods4 Aug 2025
Families Rebuilding Lives Through Restocking
When the 2022 drought wiped out entire herds in Moyale, restocking gave families in Antut and Qoloba the animals — and the hope — to begin again.
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Emergency Response29 Apr 2026
Rekindling Hope After the Floods
After floods swept through Malabot Centre, emergency support helped Kurfa Umuro Katelo and her family of five begin to rebuild.
Read storyOur donors & partners
We deliver our work hand in hand with a broad coalition of donors and partners.
- Malteser International
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