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Residents of Kenya's North Eastern Province have hailed a government programme that provides livestock for families who lost their animals during last year's drought.

According to government officials, 79,041 families were helped through the programme, which ended earlier this month. Beneficiaries told Sabahi that the initiative will help them re-start their lives.

Fatuma Ali Hassan, a 52-year-old resident of Wajir District, said her family of six was devastated after losing 87 heads of cattle to the drought. "We had lost all hope after losing our only source of livelihood until the government announced intervention measures," she told Sabahi.

After she lost her animals, she relied on food aid from the government and aid agencies as a short-term solution. Hassan said she was among the lucky families that benefitted from the government's programme in Khorof Harar village. She received 10 goats.

Sabdow Ahmed Musa, a 42-year-old beneficiary also from Wajir District, told Sabahi that he never thought of returning to his nomadic lifestyle after his 102 heads of cattle died.

The father of five said that when the animals died, they left a void. "I thank the government for giving me three heads of cattle and seven goats. God willing, I will move on from here," he said.

"Without help, some of us had been reduced to begging and queuing for food hand-outs at the food aid distribution centre which were not even enough to feed us. Now we hope to rise to be independent," he said.

Ali Mohammed Jehow, assistant administrator of Wajir District's Arbaqeramso area, told Sabahi that the programme gave priority to vulnerable families, such as those headed by widowed mothers or those caring for disabled persons or orphaned children.

"A sub-committee has been formed in every village to deliberate on how to target those most affected and at risk to benefit [from the programme]. The list of beneficiaries was then approved by district livestock development officers," Jehow said.

North Eastern Province Deputy Director of Livestock Development Gideon Wambua told Sabahi the government spent 60.5 million shillings ($720,000) to buy livestock from other pastoralists.

He said the government bought 20,579 heads of cattle, goats, sheep and camels, and 10,684 people benefited from selling their livestock. Most of the animals were given to pastoralists, while some were slaughtered and distributed to needy families, schools and hospitals as relief food, Wambua said.

Recipient families were given a maximum of 10 animals, the price of each animal ranging between 2,000 and 10,000 shillings ($24-$119).

The programme was launched after government agencies, with the help of non-governmental organisations, carried out an assessment study. "The programme was carried out in two phases beginning last November, and it took time to complete because of challenges, including the vast and rough terrain in the province and few technical staff to carry out the exercise," Wambua said.

Pastoralists in the North Eastern Province have been advised to keep manageable herds to prevent mass deaths in the future, he said.

The weather forecast for the rest of the year is not promising. While the rest of the country experienced the seasonal April-May long rains, the North Eastern Province has remained dry since the short rains of November 2011, Wambua said.

If the November rainy season fails, it could spell another vicious cycle of death for the animals, Wambua said. "If the situation becomes worse, the government will provide the pastoralists with hay until the situation stabilises," he said.