Safer Northern Trust (SNT), formerly known as Northlink Development Organization, began its journey in 2014 as a Community-Based Organization (CBO) under the name Safer Northern Trust. It was initially registered with the Department of Social Services and Development, Republic of Kenya, and officially transitioned into a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in 2025 to expand its scope, partnerships, and impact.
Rooted in Wajir County, Safer Northern Trust is a vibrant, grassroots-driven, and youth-led organization that envisions sustainable, resilient, and empowered communities across Northern Kenya. Since its inception, SNT has spearheaded transformative initiatives in preventive healthcare, environmental conservation, education, and peacebuilding—specifically tailored for arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs).
The idea behind SNT was born from a group of concerned young people living in Wajir who were deeply moved by the many challenges facing youth in ASAL areas: idleness, unemployment, substance abuse, school dropouts, early pregnancies, poor maternal and child health, peer pressure, environmental degradation, communal conflict, and the threat of violent extremism. These issues demanded a proactive, united response, leading to the establishment of Safer Northern Trust as a platform to mobilize, engage, and empower youth and communities.
SNT operates on a holistic and integrated approach to development, recognizing the interconnectedness of health, environment, education, peace, and economic well-being. The organization prioritizes gender equity, social justice, and inclusive development, ensuring that women, youth, and marginalized voices are meaningfully included in all its interventions.
With its roots and operational base in Wajir County, Safer Northern Trust continues to focus on building resilience and fostering inclusive development in the region.
Wajir County is one of the 47 counties created under the Kenya Constitution 2010. The county is located in the North Eastern region of Kenya between latitudes 3N60‘N and 20‘N and Longitudes 39oE and 41o E and covers an area of 56,685.9Km .It borders Somalia to the East, Ethiopia to the North, Wajir County to the Northeast, Isiolo County to the South West, Marsabit County to the West and Garissa County to the South. The county experiences annual average relative humidity of 61.8 per cent which ranges from 56 per cent in February to 68 per cent in June. It receives on average of 240 mm precipitation annually or 20 mm each month and the average temperature is 27.9 °C.