The dichotomy of Kenya is that among the. appropriate technology. gender equity. human rights. health. youth education & development

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1 environmental microfinance & enterprise The dichotomy of Kenya is that among the striking backdrops of the savannah, mountains, and coast lurk the devastating problems of environmental degradation, infectious disease, and corruption. Extreme poverty, which is defined as those living under $1 per day, includes almost 30 percent of Kenya s current population. Following Kenya s first free election in 2002, it was expected that free press and open dissemination of information would become the norm. However, in 2005, Freedom House shifted Kenya s media freedom ranking from partly free to not free. The apparent lack of media freedom severely inhibits Kenya s ability to quickly and effectively circulate desperately needed information, particularly to rural areas. Much of the country doesn t have access to electricity or other useful outlets for receipt of information beyond government propaganda and word-of-mouth. Compounding the issue is the failure of Kenya s government to provide basic and social services. Cultural taboos leave communities in the dark over issues such as maternal and family planning. Without proper resources and communication channels, impoverished communities continue to be haunted by reversible problems. FSD s grassroots initiatives attempt to arm underserved groups with the information they need to make change for themselves and their families. FSD focuses on partnerships that support environmental sustainability,,, microfinance & microenterprise,,, and.

2 Environmental Sustainability The environment is an increasingly important issue in in Kenya. Those living below the poverty line rely directly on the water and land resources surrounding their communities. With seventy five percent of its workforce engaged in agriculture, Kenyan farmers face growing problems of soil erosion, deforestation, water pollution, and desertification. The recent drought the most severe in independent Kenya s history devastated the country, leaving 3.5 million people with scarcely enough food to survive. Meanwhile, in Northern Kenya, pastoralists have lost their herds to starvation and conflicting tensions are mounting over scarce water resources. While global warming may be responsible for Kenya s severe droughts, current farming practices are also leading to the growth of environmental problems. Rampant pesticide use contaminates water resources while food production is declining due to soil erosion. Farming and daily life are also complicated by sharing the land with abundant wildlife. Both Kenya s natural ecosystem and its wellknown tourism industry will be greatly endangered if wildlife conservation is not made a high priority. As a result, FSD partner organizations work in sustainable agriculture, water and waste management, environmental conservation, and environmental education to ensure the future of Kenya s environment.

3 Kenya is one of many Sub-Saharan African countries that battles various life-threatening diseases. Malaria continues to kill more Kenyans than any other communicable disease. Maternal and infant mortality, malnourishment, and lack of access to basic care are all extremely problematic issues as well. However, in the realm, HIV/AIDS continues to be one of the most pressing problems that Sub-Saharan Africa faces. The virus affects at least seven percent of the population and is a major obstacle to the general of the country and its people. The situation is particularly striking in the Kakamega region, where awareness levels remain low, traditional customs that quickly spread HIV persist, and medical facilities are few and far between. Funding is also a major issue, as antiretroviral drug therapy is prohibitively expensive to most Kenyans and generic, locally produced drugs are scarcely available. Fortunately, grassroots solutions are making substantial progress in generating HIV/AIDS awareness, increasing condom usage, and reducing high-risk behavior. FSD partner organizations work to train personnel at the community level, as well as offer other forms of support.

4 Kenya s history as an independent nation is mired in major abuses, severe corruption, and widespread illegal expropriation of public lands. Corrupt governmental infrastructure created by previous leaders continues to be in place, leaving the country vulnerable to a repeated history of high-ranking criminal patterns. In Kenya s struggle with the AIDS epidemic, children orphaned by AIDS as well as those living with or affected by the disease must deal with increased abuses. The stigma associated with the virus often prevents people from seeking proper testing and care and those who have contracted the virus are often treated harshly. Poor education about the disease frequently leads to the rape of young children in hopes of curing the virus. One of the many adverse effects of the epidemic is the difficulty children have in getting an education when faced with the pressures of running a household, as they must make a living and raise younger brothers and sisters simultaneously. Human rights work, such as educational and empowerment trainings, counseling, provision of legal assistance (particularly to women), and awareness campaigns are some of the methods FSD uses to support its partner organizations. These efforts serve to shift oppressive cultural and governmental forces that limit and community well being.

5 Kenya s economic situation can be attributed to a few main factors. Currently, the richest ten percent of the Kenyan population controls almost half of the nation s wealth while the poorest ten percent hold less than one percent. In addition, economic growth continues to be low and is limited to a few sectors tourism, manufacturing, horticulture, and services. The government s failure to radically improve the nation s investment and savings habits drastically threatens the economic situation, since substantial growth cannot occur without sufficient capital. At the grassroots level, microfinance and microenterprise growth play a critical role in bringing capital, financial strategies, and economic opportunity to underserved communities throughout Kenya. FSD partners with organizations that provide savings and loans programs, marketing and business assistance, and strategic advice to communities, groups, and individuals. These organizations reach underserved populations that the government and large banks have forgotten.

6 Women in Kenya face discrimination, wage inequality, unequal representation in government, and a lack of access to education, training, and other social services. Women are subject to a myriad of rights violations including sexual and physical abuse and the exclusion from owning or inheriting property. Social norms, unresponsive authorities, and social stigmas that brutally brand women for asserting property rights negatively affects the productivity of the land being disputed, thus inhibiting efforts and enslaving women under an oppressive custom. Throughout the last decade, women have experienced an increase in maternal mortality; only fortytwo percent of women have access to a skilled caregiver while giving birth. In addition, although free primary education has increased the number of girls attending school, there are many who are often absent due to household responsibilities or to a lack of access to reproductive care during menstruation. Despite the predominantly patriarchal society, it is clear that women are the lifeblood of the household securing food, water, fuel wood, rearing children and giving birth. Women play the roles of mother, head of the household and caregiver within the extended family and the community. FSD works with several partner organizations that support women, widows and women s groups in the community. Gender equity is important in Kenya, and internationally, as a way to prevent diseases such as AIDS, in order to contribute to the economic of the country, and for the general social of any society.

7 While Kenya did implement universal primary education so that eight years of schooling are provided free, additional costs of uniforms and books still prevent many from attending. Over 1.7 million children remain out of school - the majority of whom are street children living in slums or in marginalized pastoralist communities. Secondary schooling that properly equips children for the next level is extremely expensive and rarely accessible in underserved areas. At the root of the problem is a drastic decline in education funding and social services by the Kenyan government and international donors. The result is that a large percentage of Kenyan only have a basic level of education, few usable skills, and minimal employment opportunities. The poor education system and subsequent idleness of these adolescents creates a dangerous combination that frequently leads to drug abuse, early pregnancy, crime and other severe behaviors. FSD partners with organizations that assist communities with affordable primary and secondary education, offer vocational skills training to adults, and contribute to social services for all. Extracurricular activities are also cultivated to mobilize children.

8 Many rural Kenyan communities face a lack of access to safe water, clean energy, and waste management solutions. These concerns illustrate the need for projects, which provide communities with low cost, sustainable, culturally technological solutions, increasing the standard of living. Examples of these solutions include water purification products, ecologically friendly stoves, and solar power solutions. Appropriate solutions are particularly concerned with being sustainable, with products that are durable, long lasting, and easy to repair and maintain. FSD works with local organizations that catalyze individuals toward community participation. We understand that lasting community change beings with supporting initiatives that gather people together to build cohesion and retain local values that are constantly threatened by globalization. FSD s solutions are sustainable solutions that alleviate the barriers to social change.