Residents of a Nairobi slum are on a mission to reducing the damage from flooding in their area. Volunteers work together to clear debris and waste that is blocking the waterways and drainage at an informal settlement. Armed with shovels, brushes and rakes, the volunteers are working with Weather Mtaani a group set up to help improve life for the people living here. A lack of proper working drainage systems means flooding is likely when it rains, due to it being clogged with rubbish such as plastics, clothing and sludge. The Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) has been training young people from informal settlements to interpret weather forecasts. Race against the clock Volunteer at Weather Mtaani, Ann Atieno, explains it is a race against the clock to clear as much rubbish as possible ahead of the rain. She's received a weather forecast message from Weather Mtaani, which translates as village weather, predicting rain in the coming weeks. It's prompted her to band together with volunteers to clean up around Kiberia one of the largest slums in Africa with an estimated population of 250,000. Weather Mtaani has sent us a message warning us that it might rain and that we should be ready. We are not sure if it will rain or not but we must be ready and inform our neighbours to take rightful measures. We warn children not to play near rivers, we look out for faulty underground electrical wires and unclog water drains, so that if the rains come, we will not be caught off guard. That is how we stay ready. Also in homes, we put our belongings above the ground, she says. Every week the volunteers receive weather forecasts, seasonal outlooks and warnings from KMD, which they translate into the local language. The translation is sent to other volunteers through WhatsApp or SMS, which is then sent widely to residents. Weather Mtaani helps us by sending weather forecast messages, which we send to other residents. And if there are any clean ups, they help us do it, because here we have poor drainage systems. We do the clean up a few days before the rains start, so if it rains, the drainage systems are clean. Weather Mtaani also gives us tools to clean up, says Mary Akoko, volunteer, Weather Mtaani.

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Residents of a Nairobi slum are on a mission to reducing the damage from flooding in their area. Volunteers work together to clear debris and waste that is blocking the waterways and drainage at an informal settlement. Armed with shovels, brushes and rakes, the volunteers are working with Weather Mtaani a group set up to help improve life for the people living here. A lack of proper working drainage systems means flooding is likely when it rains, due to it being clogged with rubbish such as plastics, clothing and sludge. The Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) has been training young people from informal settlements to interpret weather forecasts. Race against the clock Volunteer at Weather Mtaani, Ann Atieno, explains it is a race against the clock to clear as much rubbish as possible ahead of the rain. She's received a weather forecast message from Weather Mtaani, which translates as village weather, predicting rain in the coming weeks. It's prompted her to band together with volunteers to clean up around Kiberia one of the largest slums in Africa with an estimated population of 250,000. Weather Mtaani has sent us a message warning us that it might rain and that we should be ready. We are not sure if it will rain or not but we must be ready and inform our neighbours to take rightful measures. We warn children not to play near rivers, we look out for faulty underground electrical wires and unclog water drains, so that if the rains come, we will not be caught off guard. That is how we stay ready. Also in homes, we put our belongings above the ground, she says. Every week the volunteers receive weather forecasts, seasonal outlooks and warnings from KMD, which they translate into the local language. The translation is sent to other volunteers through WhatsApp or SMS, which is then sent widely to residents. Weather Mtaani helps us by sending weather forecast messages, which we send to other residents. And if there are any clean ups, they help us do it, because here we have poor drainage systems. We do the clean up a few days before the rains start, so if it rains, the drainage systems are clean. Weather Mtaani also gives us tools to clean up, says Mary Akoko, volunteer, Weather Mtaani.