The last election in Kenya was followed by a wave of politically-related violence that forced at least 300,000 people to leave their homes. Many of them have still not returned. The lack of strong and robust civil and governmental institutions was evident.
We are now focusing our cooperation within democracy to counteract the widespread corruption and strengthen the state institutions. Environmental and urban development are other prioritized areas in our continuing work.
Democracy and human rights
The main reasons for poverty in Kenya are structural. Political institutions that have long been guided by the interests of the elite have slowed democratic development and deterred investments.
We are therefore supporting the government’s reform work, partly through wide-scale reforms within the legal sector and governance in the Governance, Justice, Law and Order Sector programme.
Environment and natural resources
In Kenya’s strategy for economic growth among the rural poor, farming has been identified as the most important factor. We have a broad programme to support Kenyan farming.
The programme contains support for reforms within the water sector. These reforms will contribute to the decentralization of and greater access to water resources. Another important part of the programme is the commercialization of farming. One example is the National Agriculture and Livestock Extension Programme (NALEP), a network that offers financing and advice to small farmers. NALEP reaches 2.5 million small farmers.
Urban development
The number of Kenya’s slum areas has increased dramatically in recent decades, and many people are living in social exclusion. Creating better conditions for the people in the slums is vital to the country’s future.
We are therefore working side by side with both the Kenyan government and independent organizations on important issues concerning housing, land ownership and human rights.
Book tips:
- Gender and economic growth in Kenya: unleashing the power of women / Amanda Ellis
- Culture and Customs of Kenya / Neal Sobania
- Poverty and Promise: One Volunteer's Experience of Kenya / Cindi Brown, Tamara Berry, and Ignacio Pintos
- It's Our Turn to Eat / Michela Wrong
