The River Ngare Narok is currently at a safe level, but it’s a stark contrast to May when it overflowed during Kenya’s heavy rains.
During that period, residents faced hazardous conditions navigating through flooded streets.
However, some have utilized an innovative technology to safeguard their homes-Large black rubber barriers known as slamdams.
These barriers are being deployed by those living near water sources to protect against flooding. Additionally, slamdam captures floodwater, allowing communities to use it for planting and irrigation during dry periods. This practice enhances food security by ensuring a reliable water supply for crops throughout the year.
Fredrick Njuguna who lives 50 meters from the River Ngare testifies that slam dams have immensely prevented water from reaching and flooding his home.
Talking to Africa News, Njuguna notes that the losses would have been severe if he didn’t have the slam dams barriers. “I was considering the value of my property, myself and my children, and I would have suffered a loss of nothing short of 40 to 50 million (Shillings, approx. $310,000 to $390,000).”
He is keen on using slam dams to mitigate seasonal flooding from the river rather than incur huge losses such as crops and farm destruction due to occasional heavy rains. “Because if you consider the investments I have made on this land, you can come in and have a look, I would have lost a huge amount of money,” he says.
Fridah Nduuru has had a similar experience, but the use of slamdams has protected her home, situated on a hill slope in Meru, Kenya, from flooding.
“I got this donation from the Netherlands Development Organisation SNV after heavy rains flooded my house and destroyed my property. After I got the slamdams, I am now safe and my home no longer floods,” she says.
The barriers have been donated in several parts of Kenya by (SNV) Foundation of Netherlands Volunteers) – A Netherlands-based development organization working to enhance food, energy, and water systems in Africa and Asia.
In Flood-prone Laikipia County SNV has donated over 100 slamdams to fight against the deadly effects of flooding.
A slamdam technology invented in Netherlands, is a mobile flood barrier constructed from heat-resistant rubber, designed for a variety of uses. Each unit holds up to 8,000 liters of water and measures five meters long, 1.5 meters wide, and one meter high.
For optimal performance, slamdams must be positioned tightly together to form a continuous barrier, preventing any potential gaps through which floodwaters could escape.
These barriers are durable, with a lifespan of up to 40 years.
Not much labour is needed. Only Two people can fill a 100-metre-section of the barrier in an hour by pumping water into it from a nearby lake or river.
Experts believe that this technology could significantly aid the developing world in coping with the impacts of climate change, such as flooding, rising sea levels, extreme heat, and intensified storms. Africa, in particular, faces heightened vulnerability.
Despite contributing only about 4 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, the continent is home to six of the ten countries most at risk from climate change.
