Building understanding andtrust across fragile borders in the Horn of Africa.
In the borderlands of Uganda and Kenya, pastoralist communities live within complex systems of governance — where traditional leadership, state authority, and humanitarian actors all intersect. Here, trust is not an abstract concept; it determines access to water, peace, and survival.
Herders of the Horn (KHH), in partnership with Friends of Lake Turkana (FoLT) and leading researchers from the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), is implementing a ground breaking initiative to explore how communities negotiate trust and shape institutions in times of uncertainty.
Our research links community insights directly with decision-makers, turning local voices into data that informs peace building, governance, and development frameworks across the Horn of Africa. Through this process, KHH serves as both a convener and knowledge partner, bridging academic research, community wisdom, andgovernment strategy.
This project uses participatoryaction research to capture lived experiences of pastoralists navigatingoverlapping challenges — from climate shocks and insecurity to governancetransitions. By combining field-based evidence with critical policy analysis,we are helping to redefine how regional stability and cooperation are understood.
