Who are the people?
Forty-one percent of Kenya’s population lives in cities. Rural Kenyans generally live with their extended family in a cluster of huts, which provides shelter and symbolizes the closeness of the people living there. In a spirit of cooperation, family members share work responsibilities and resources as they support themselves through farming.

One in two Kenyans lives below the poverty line. Many families are nomadic cow and goat herders. They spend the dry season, December to March, searching for lush pastures. They return for the rainy season, April to November, when their own land can provide adequate food for the animals.

Since most babies are delivered at home, official birth certificates are often not available. Instead of birth dates, parents recall that a child was born during a particular season or special event.

Families often want to have many children because they are considered a valuable resource. A large family means more hands to help on the farm and ensures parents will be taken care of in their old age.

Although the Kenyan government provides schooling for children up to age eight, approximately 1.7 million children do not attend school because of failing economic and social systems.
Forty-one percent of Kenya’s population lives in cities. Rural Kenyans generally live with their e

Country Comparison	Kenya	United States
Population	33.4 million	295.4 million
Land Mass	219,788 sq. miles	3,537,439 sq. miles
Life Expectancy	48 years	78 years
Infant Mortality Rate (per 1,000)	79	7
Literacy Rate	74%	97%
Primary School Enrollment	78%	92%
Access to Safe Water	62%	100%
Average Annual Income (GNI per capita)	$460	$41,400

Religion

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What is it like to live there?
Kenya was colonized by the British, with settlers also arriving from South Africa, Australia, and Canada. Kenya gained independence from Great Britain in 1963.

Now a republic of East Africa, Kenya is home to more than 40 different ethnic groups, which represent many languages and cultures. While once able to feed its people and sell surplus food to its neighbors, Kenya has suffered the strains of rapid population growth, particularly in rural areas.

Soil and weather conditions, including drought, can also threaten the food supply. Only 17 percent of Kenya’s land is suitable for farming. The rest is arid and subject to frequent dry spells. The majority of sponsored children in Kenya come from these regions.

The equator divides the country almost in half. More than 240 miles of coastline on the Indian Ocean are lined with coconut, mangrove, and palm trees. Kenya also is home to one of the world’s highest mountains, Mt. Kenya. In spite of its location along the equator, Mt. Kenya remains snow-capped throughout the year.

Wild animals such as lions, giraffes, buffalos, elephants, zebras, leopards, and flamingos are found in the country’s numerous game parks.
Kenya was colonized by the British, with settlers also arriving from South Africa, Australia, and C
Kenya Projects
With the support of generous donors like you, World Vision is partnering with families throughout Kenya to build brighter futures filled with hope for their children.

Many activities are under way to help meet immediate needs and promote lasting changes that will strengthen communities and move families toward self-reliance.

Overall program goals include:

• Equipping families and communities to care for orphans and other vulnerable children while providing life-skills training to those affected by the AIDS pandemic.
• Providing tuition, uniforms, and learning supplies to ensure children’s ability to attend school.
• Offering health check-ups for boys and girls and helping to establish pharmacies to provide essential medicines at low cost.
• Locating sources of clean, safe water for drinking and cooking; educating families about the importance of personal and household hygiene in reducing waterborne diseases.
• Teaching mothers about nutrition and disease prevention to improve child health.
• Supplying farmers with seeds and fertilizer to help increase food production.
• Providing local churches with hymnals and Bibles.

Kenya is participating in our "HopeChild" program to provide additional resources for children and families impacted by HIV/AIDS in this high prevalence region.