As part of the HyCRISTAL project, the team spent time with some community groups in Kisumu, Kenya and Kampala, Uganda talking about their experiences of flooding in the urban areas where they live.  They talked about what happened before, during and after a flood, and how high the waters came and where actually got flooded.  Initially this was to inform flood modelling, and check the accuracy of simulations, but listening to their stories, HyCRISTAL wanted to do something with the stories they were telling about their real, lived experience of these events.

    Working with Clearhead Media, they developed a script and animation to help share the experiences they heard about.   The aim is to inform viewers about the reality of what flooding is like for people who live in affected cities in East Africa, and while it may not be 100% accurate for everyone in these places, there should be significant relatable elements for those experiencing regular seasonal flooding in Kisumu and Kampala.  This educational, evidence based account, will help give a richer picture of what is going on and inform the development of future projects.  

Thanks goes to all who participated in the early project workshops as they explored what the problems were around flooding, sanitation and health in Kisumu and Kampala, and specifically their partners at Practical Action and Kisumu Urban Apostolate Programme (KUAP) in Kisumu, without whom this would not have been possible to create.

This news piece was originally posted on water@Leeds, University of Leeds. 

HyCRISTAL stands for Integrating Hydro Climate Science into Policy Decisions for Climate Resilient Infrastructure and Livelihoods in East Africa. HyCRISTAL aims to develop a new understanding of climate change in East Africa and to work with the region’s decision-makers to manage water for a more climate-resilient future.