Kenya

Fast facts

Population: 41,070,934
Life expectancy: 59.48 years (58.81 for males, 60.07 for females)
Infant mortality: 52.29 deaths for every 1,000 live births
Maternal mortality: 560 per 100,000 live births*
HIIV/AIDs prevalence in adults: 6.3%
Adult literacy rate: 87%
Access to improved drinking water: 59%
Access to sanitation facilities: 31%
GDP per capita: $1,600

(Source: CIA World Factbook, UNICEF,*UNFPA)

CARE in Kenya

Prior to the unrest caused by the disputed election results of December 2007, Kenya had maintained remarkable stability despite changes in its political system and crises in neighbouring countries.

© Karina Coates/CARE

The main challenges to the country have been frequent droughts, food insecurity, HIV and poverty. Statistics from the 2007 UN Human Development Report indicate that 22.8 per cent of Kenyans are living on less than USD1 a day. CARE has been operating in Kenya since 1968, providing development and humanitarian assistance to communities in the areas of: primary health care emergency relief small economic activity development reproductive health HIV agriculture

Download more information on CARE's work in Kenya

Download the Fact Sheet about CARE Australia's response to the East Africa Food Crisis 

Stories from CARE's work in Kenya

© Sabine Wilke/CARE

CARE's Emergency Media Officer reports from Dadaab

by Nicki Clark, CARE's Emergency Media Relations Officer 

Here I sit, 7,500 miles away from home. I’m a week in. Over the course of just a few days, my life has completely changed.

On Monday, I reported to work at CARE’s Washington, D.C. office.

By Thursday I was on a plane bound for Nairobi where my final destination would be Dadaab Refugee Camp, the world’s largest.

I will spend the next six weeks here as CARE’s emergency media officer. It is a position that both thrills and terrifies me. As an employee of one of the most prominent global humanitarian agencies, there is always an excitement that surrounds “going to the field.”

But this is different. Read more.

© CARE

Dadaab Camp: Heads, shoulders, knees and toes

by Andrew Buchanan, CARE Australia's Head of Marketing and Communications

As the proud father of a five-year-old girl who started school in Melbourne this year, I see firsthand the value that education brings to children. School builds pride, it grows confidence and brings perspective on many things. It brings joy to five-year olds that few things in life can rival.

From the happy faces at the CARE-run Illeys Primary School in Dadaab Camp, it’s clear that the impact of school here is no different, except school in a refugee camp brings one more critical thing to a five-year old - and that’s protection. While they are inside the school, they are safe. Read more.

Help her earn

Agriculture and livestock are a primary source of income for many Kenyans. CARE is working with 16 pastoral organisations in Kenya so that they can improve their income from the sale of livestock, by linking both female and male pastoralists to market opportunities and enhancing the quality of conditions that their livestock are kept. In addition CARE works to provide HIV/AIDS education and services to pastoralists.

One of the major issues faced by female pastoralists is exclusion from market opportunities traditionally undertaken by men. Many women don't feel comfortable competing and working with men to trade large livestock. Within this project, sub-groups have been formed, which deal with smaller livestock - an area of the market more frequently used by women in Kenya for farming.

Through the project, female and male pastoralists have been able to access markets, feed their livestock, work together and make significant increases to their annual income. In addition, many have received training on HIV and reproductive health.

Learn more about CARE’s work with women and girls