In collaboration with World Vision, a pilot communications project was launched in February 2012 to support the delivery of the organization’s protracted relief and rehabilitation operations through improved two-way communication with drought-affected communities.

1. World Vision project in Voi, Kenya
http://www.infoasaid.org

2. Voi, Kenya
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Source: http://www.openstreetmap.org/

3. Situation Analysis
• Taita Taveta county is situated in the south-western part of
Coast Province, Kenya and has a population of 284, 657
(KNBS, 2009).
• The main livelihoods are mixed farming (including
livestock, dairy and crop production), casual waged labour
and formal employment (Dienya et al., 2012).
• In 2011, a Long Rains Season Assessment conducted by the
Kenyan Government’s Food Security Steering Group
classified most areas of Taita Taveta as having deteriorated
from the ‘Stressed Phase’, to the ‘Crisis Phase’, in which
households experience significant food consumption gaps
with acute malnutrition.
infoasaid for World Vision Voi project – September 2012

4. Situation Analysis
• At the time the pilot project was being designed, there were
119,000 people (42% of the entire population of Taita
Taveta) receiving food assistance under the Kenya
Protracted Relief and Rehabilitation Operation (PRRO)
sponsored by the World Food Programme and
implemented by World Vision Kenya.
• The goal of the PRRO was to improve community resilience
to the adverse effects of drought on local livelihoods, and it
was implemented in three modes: General Food
Distribution (GFD), Food for Assets (FFA), and Cash for
Assets (CFA).
infoasaid for World Vision Voi project – September 2012

5. World Vision staff at a community meeting in
Kishushe discussing problems faced in the
Cash for Assets programme.
Photo: Miranda Eeles/infoasaid

6. Communication Challenges
• Slow, labour-intensive mechanisms for disseminating
information to communities resulting in frequent delays in
mobilising communities for food distributions;
• Limited community engagement focused more on extracting
information on project outputs rather than listening to
communities’ needs and concerns;
• Lack of a mass communication platform to explain changes
made to the cash-for-asset program.
• Insufficient mechanisms for soliciting feedback from
recipient communities on the delivery of PRRO services.
infoasaid for World Vision Voi project – September 2012

7. Communication Challenges
• Lack of access among communities to practical information
to help them improve their food security and livelihoods.
• According to WVK Senior Management, although WVK had
in place a number of feedback mechanisms - including a
telephone hotline, community helpdesks and suggestion
boxes - these were underutilised by communities.
infoasaid for World Vision Voi project – September 2012

8. Proposed Project
• Overall goal is to improve the quality
(relevance/appropriateness, coverage, efficiency and
effectiveness) of the WVK PRRO in Taita-Taveta, Kenya.
• Two objectives:
1. Improve communication as a form of aid.
2. Improve communication as a means of improving the
delivery of WVK’s food and cash assistance.
infoasaid for World Vision Voi project – September 2012

9. Proposed Project
• Two interventions:
1. A weekly interactive radio programme on Anguo FM
targeting women aged 15 – 40.
2. The use of mobile telephony, coupled with
FrontlineSMS software, to improve the effectiveness of
two-way communication between World Vision and
beneficiaries of food aid as well as to electronically
gather data from the field.
infoasaid for World Vision Voi project – September 2012

10. Proposed Project
• Seven activities:
1. Sponsorship of a weekly interactive radio programme on
Anguo FM.
2. Establishment of a FrontlineSMS information hub in the
WVK Voi field office.
3. Use of FrontlineForms to collect data from PRRO Relief
Committee (RC) focal points on programme outputs.
4. Distribution of java-enabled Nokia C1-01 mobile phones and
Tough Stuff 1.5 watt solar charger kits to RC focal points in
the 75 Food Distribution Points (FDPs) receiving either FFA,
CFA or both.
5. Training for WVK staff and other stakeholders on
communication with crisis-affected populations.
6. Appointment of a Local Communication Officer.
7. Capture of learnings from pilot project.

11. Focus group discussions with community members
in Mbale to explore their information needs.
Photo: Carole Chapelier/infoasaid

12. Mobile handsets and solar chargers were
distributed to Relief Committee members.
Photo: Jean-Baptiste Lopez - http://www.fotozean.com/

13. Guests on the interactive radio show included World Vision
staff and officials from relevant Government Ministries.
Photo: Jean-Baptiste Lopez - http://www.fotozean.com/

14. Expected Outcomes
• The crisis-affected population of Taita Taveta, especially
women, have increased access to practical information
which will help them to improve their food security and
livelihoods.
• World Vision's humanitarian assistance (PRRO) is more in
line with and responsive to the needs and priorities of the
crisis-affected population in Taita Taveta.
• Improved timeliness and efficiency of the collection of
data on programme outputs by World Vision from Project
Committees.
infoasaid for World Vision Voi project – September 2012

15. Timeframe
Nov 2011-Jan 2012 January 2012 February 2012 July 2012
Scoping trip
Baseline Research Implementation Learning
Procurement
Review
infoasaid Training
1) What did each infoasaid response
seek to do? What happened? What
worked well, what didn’t work well,
and why?
2) How, if at all, did the
communication project influence the
overall humanitarian response?
infoasaid for World Vision Voi project – September 2012

16. Thank you for your attention !
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