[SatNews] Reaching out before it's too late for man or beast in Kenya's rural draught stricken villages...

Télécoms Sans Frontières is launching a pilot project in Kenya using the mobile phone-based, payment and money transfer system M-PESA for the benefit of populations in pastoral areas.

The M-PESA pilot project is part of Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Germany’s emergency response program in Kenya and more particularly of its “Response in Arid-lands for Pastoralists in Drought affected Kenya (RAPID) project”. The objective for VSF-Germany is to conduct Cash For Work activities and thanks to TSF’s expertise, to remunerate the beneficiaries through the M-PESA system.

This is a five-month collaboration initiative; the program will end in March 2012 and will be implemented the Marsabit South district (Northern Kenya) in six specific villages and cities: Laisamis, Merille, Logologo, Kamboe, Lontolio and Koya. The goal of this project is to enhance food security for vulnerable households and protect livelihoods from the effect of the drought.