Project Location: Kisumu, Kenya

Kisumu is a port city situated on the shores of Lake Victoria in Eastern Africa. With over 500,000 people, it is the third largest city in Kenya, and serves as the capitol of the Nyanza province. Kenya’s landscape is one of striking beauty. Ecologists, filmmakers and adventure travelers come from all over the world to witness the annual migration of millions of wildebeest, zebras and other exotic species. But despite its abundant natural resources, historical factors such as government corruption, social and ethnic conflict, and an abused ecosystem have caused the Kenyan people to suffer a great deal. More than 40% of Kenyans are unemployed, and over half live below the internationally recognized poverty line (less than $1 a day). Unemployment, drought, crime, poverty and HIV/AIDS have all led to an unacceptable humanitarian crisis. 1.2 million Kenyans are currently living with AIDS. In Kisumu alone, nearly 25% of the population is HIV positive. An estimated 150,000 Kenyans have already died from AIDS, and at least as many die every year from poverty and malnutrition.

Kisumu is by far Kenyan’s poorest major city. Over 50% of its population lives below the food poverty line, compared with Nairobi’s 8% and Mombasa’s 39%. Kisumu is the leading commercial, industrial, communications and administrative center in the African Great Lakes region. But the people in the streets have not seen the benefits of these economic advances. Kisumu remains severely under-developed, and its people are in desperate need of help.

Of all people affected by poverty, young people and women typically endure the worst suffering. With more than half of the world’s population under the age of 25, unemployment and poverty are among the greatest challenges Humanity faces. Today there are over 150 million homeless children worldwide. In Kisumu there are nearly three thousand young people living on the streets. They live under terrible conditions, constantly dealing with threats of addiction and molestation. To escape from the awful reality of their lives, these suffering young people often abuse industrial glue as an inhalant.

Kenyan women also live under desperate circumstances. AIDS, societal oppression (such as the ritual of female genital mutilation), and physical abuse have made life difficult for women. They can often find work only raising chickens, as house helpers, or trading items such as vegetables, fish, second-hand clothes, or trinkets. Even though primary
school is free in Kenya, women still struggle to receive further training or education.

Kenya indeed has to face some much-needed social reforms, but there are some inspiring symbols of hope. Kenyan activists such as Wangari Maathai, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004, have come up with progressive ways of empowering young women. In 1977, Ms. Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement to organize poor Kenyan women to plant millions of trees. She was successfully able to start a program which replenishes Kenya’s dwindling forests, provides desperately needed cooking fuel, and makes women active participants in improving their lives.