kenya

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Kenya Overview

Kenya conjures up visions of exotic animals in big game preserves, the Great Rift Valley, vast grasslands, and gorgeous highlands. It is a beautiful land enhanced by a gracious and diverse population. Thirty-seven million people live within its borders, comprising over 70 distinct ethnic groups. Ever courteous, warm eyes and friendly smiles peek out from sun-darkened faces.

However much of Kenya suffers from increased urbanization and generational poverty. Over forty percent of Kenya's population lives in urban areas and they are growing by over 7% a year. Nairobi, the capitol, is already home to over 2.5 million people. This spike in urbanization has led to a rush of people seeking work in the cities and pushed the national unemployment rate to 40%. Without jobs, many urban Kenyans live in slums such as Kibera, and resort to temporary labor or peddling wares on street corners. With 50% of the population below the poverty line, the main priority is simply surviving.

Kenya is increasingly becoming a nation of children. Parents are dying from the AIDS/HIV endemic affecting 54% of the population and other prevalent illnesses in the slums, such as tuberculosis and cholera. Today, 42% of the population is under the age of 15 and over 2.3 million children are orphans.

Education is part of the national solution to poverty. However, Kenya's primary and secondary schools are overloaded. There are currently 18,000 primary schools with standards (grades) 1-8 registered with the government. Yet even with 100 students per class serving 4.4 million students, another 13.3 million children are waiting for a primary educational opportunity. And although primary schools are tuition free, the cost of examination fees, school supplies and mandatory uniforms is still outside the reach of many families.

Furthermore there are only about 4,500 secondary schools registered in Kenya and they are not tuition free. Less than half of primary school entrants complete standard 8 and only 47% of primary graduates go on to enroll in secondary schooling. While the nation struggles to provide education for its children, it places a low priority on children of slums leaving them with a bleak educational outlook.

Future