Kenya

Kenya is located on the east coast of central Africa. The majority of the population lives and works in the highlands, which supports extensive farming.

83% of the Kenyan population occupy 19.2% of the (arable) land while the remaining 17% are to be found in the arid and semi-arid lands. There is a big gap in income distribution with the majority of people living in poverty.

The natural mineral resources of Kenya are soda ash. Other minerals are gemstones, diatomite and fluorspar.

Kenya has an 8-4-4-education system: eight years in primary, four years in secondary and four years in the university.

Tourism is Kenya's highest foreign exchange earner. The coast, archaeological sites, rich cultural heritage and wildlife have made Kenyan tourism attractive to many tourists.

Kenya is a land of contrasts. It has diverse ethnic mix with 98% of the total population being of African origin. There are 42 ethnic communities in Kenya.

HIV/AIDS is a major challenge to Kenya. The following facts show the gravity
of the situation:

• Currently, 2 million Kenyans are HIV/AIDS infected.
  
• 75% of HIV/AIDS-related deaths occur among adults aged between 20 and 25 years of age.
  
• AIDS orphans are estimated to have reached 900,000.
  
• About 10% of reported cases of HIV/AIDS occur in children under five years of age. Most of these are attributed to mother-to-child transmission at birth.
  
• About 30–40% of babies born to HIV-infected mothers are infected.
  
• HIV/AIDS has increased the infant mortality rate and is reversing some of the gains made in infant mortality rate reduction.

While health facilities have improved in recent years, availability, equipment, and personnel are still lacking in large areas of the country. Malnutrition is a serious problem in the country, affecting about two-thirds of young children.

Agriculture remains the primary base for Kenya's economy. It provides employment to over 70% of the work force and accounts for 30% of the Gross Domestic Product. Other than livestock, important crops include sisal, corn, wheat products, coffee, and tea.

Plan’s work

Plan works through established grassroots Community Based Organisations (CBO) to identify communities' development needs. Support to families and communities is provided through these CBOs. Plan's major program activities in Kenya include:

• HIV/AIDS orphans support and HIV/AIDS awareness seminars
  
• raising community awareness on the rights of the child and gender and development
  
• a micro enterprise program providing credit facilities to urban and rural poor to improve family income
  
• rehabilitation of classrooms, assistance in textbooks and teaching aids to primary schools
  
• pre and primary school teachers training, bursaries for destitute and bright secondary school sponsored children
  
• water rehabilitation involving gravity flow pipe water systems, wells and spring protection, water tanks and survey of water projects
  
• farming equipment and training for farmers in animal husbandry
  
• leadership and community projects' management
  
• rehabilitation of bridges and home improvement
  
• improvement of irrigation canals to increase farm produce in horticultural areas
  
• community capacity building.