Challenges facing relief aid workers during relief aid distribution in Kenya: a case of Kenya red cross society- Tana River branch.

Abstract

Millions of people are affected by drought disasters each year. There is a considerable high increase in the number of natural and man-made disasters, resulting in loss of life, property and acute shortage of food. Thousands of people who are short rains dependent and practice

marginal

agriculture

in the

Coast

region

suffer

the

heightened

food

insecurity.

Depleted

household food stocks, above normal food prices and reduced farm labour opportunities have caused declines in house hold food security for the poor and the very poor. The complexity

and

magnitude of

global

emergency

relief

operations

through

humanitarian

organizations

alleviate the situation. Humanitarian operations are quite complex and so, are very difficult to manage. Human resource is the most important aspect of these operations which especially deal with relief aid distribution. Historically, communication, employee competence, relief supplies and employees motivation during work in humanitarian relief operations have been

known

to affect

delivery of

humanitarian

aid

and

goods

to those

who

need

them

most.

Expounding on the challenges that affect relief aid workers in service delivery during relief

aid

distribution,

were to

ensure

effectiveness,

efficiency,

consistent

conformance to

expectations and beneficiary satisfaction.

The aim of this study was to identify the gaps faced

by the relief/field workers during relief aid distribution and address them through this research

analysis

so as

to improve

efficiency of

relief

aid

distribution

process to

the

community

beneficiaries by Kenya Red Cross Society in Tana River and other humanitarian agencies. The specific objectives of the study were be to identify to what extent communication affect

relief

aid distribution,

to find out

how

relief

supplies affected

relief

workers

in relief

aid

distribution, to assess the relationship between relief aid workers competence and relief aid

distribution

and

to identify

the

impact of

staff

motivation

on relief

aid

distribution. A

descriptive

research

design

was

used

in this

study.

A stratified

sampling

technique

was

conducted

on the

sample

comprised for 30

respondents

which

was also

equivalent

to the

whole study population. Descriptive statistical data analysis was used to show the frequencies

and

percentages of

various

responses.

Excel

computer

package

was

used

to present

the

analysis

in tables.

Conclusions

were

made

that

effective

communication,

flow of

relief

supplies, staff competence and measures for staff motivation were key aspects in ensuring relief aid workers conduct a smooth relief aid distribution. To avoid further challenges the

recommendations

were

enhancing

decision

making as

an organization

culture,

staff

motivation and government involvement through implementation of its policies.