Parkview in Nakuru West is facing a crisis that most people will never see with their own eyes. When Lake Nakuru rose and pushed inland, the water didn’t stop at the edge. It has been moving until it reached people’s doorsteps and then inside their homes. Many of the houses, shops, and small kiosks that families depend on for income are swept away or left standing in unusable conditions. Floors are covered in stagnant water mixed with debris and solid waste. The pathways are muddy, slippery, and unsafe.

Families have been left with almost nothing. Some have not been able to relocate because they cannot afford to move, and others remain in partially flooded areas because they have no alternative. What they rely on to survive, casual work, small businesses, and daily labor all has disappeared with the water.

Children in Parkview are living through the harshest part of this disaster. Several have gone for days without a proper meal. Others are experiencing waterborne illnesses because the only water around them is contaminated. During our visit, we met children searching the flooded spots for the small salty fish washed in by the water, because it is the only food available to them when there is nothing else.
The situation for young girls is especially alarming. With livelihoods destroyed, many have turned to transactional sex simply to afford food or shelter.

According to AMREF staff working in the area, information shared with us by Maina, an elder in the community, HIV infections have risen significantly. The combination of poverty, displacement, and lack of options has created a high-risk environment for adolescent girls and young women.

Maina explains how he has watched the situation worsen over the past weeks. He says the youth are being pulled into decisions that put their lives at risk, and how parents are struggling to protect their children without resources. His concern is clear: the community needs urgent support, and families cannot cope on their own.

During our visit, we delivered more than 60 food hampers to some of the most affected households. Children gathered around us immediately. They were visibly relieved to receive something they can share with their families. For families who had no food left and no way to earn, the hampers gave them something stable for the coming days.

But the need remains far beyond what we were able to cover. Dozens of households are still without food. Children continue to face hunger and illness. Many families are living in dangerous, unsanitary environments because they do not have the means to relocate.

To continue supporting Parkview, we will need more donations and more supplies. Food hampers make an immediate and practical difference for families who have no other source of support right now. The situation is urgent, and without sustained help, many of these households will continue to face serious risk.