Kenya’s catastrophic flooding is a tragic reminder that it’s time to rethink how aid is delivered

As extreme weather events pummel the world’s poorest communities, global aid needs to be shifted to local responders.

My mother and I were climate refugees. When I was a baby, we left our drought-stricken rural home for Nairobi, hoping the city would offer stable work and secure a better future for our family. With few options, we landed in Kibera, Africa’s largest slum, living on the edge of survival without enough food to eat and without access to clean water, healthcare, or formal education. We scraped by on sheer will and survival instincts.