Kenya

Since 1964, the Peace Corps has been assisting the government of Kenya in meeting its development needs by providing skilled Volunteers in a variety of disciplines. It is one of the largest Peace Corps programs in Africa.

Peace Corps Volunteers support development in three key areas: small business development and information technology, education, and public health.

Peace Corps in Kenya has responded to the HIV/AIDS crisis by training every Volunteer in Kenya to help fight the spread of HIV/AIDS through education and awareness projects. Peace Corps.

Volunteers assist the Kenyan Ministry of Education to meet its goals by teaching mathematics, biology, chemistry and physics in secondary schools throughout rural Kenya. A strong foundation in applied sciences is a key part of Kenya's goal of industrialization by 2020. Volunteers also provide HIV/AIDS education through outreach programs in schools, youth groups and community organizations.

In response to the Ministry of Education's focus on education for children with special needs, Peace Corps Volunteers teach in Kenya's schools for the deaf. Volunteers also conduct community outreach to educate parents and other community members about deafness and the importance of providing support to deaf children. They also give deaf sensitization talks at secondary schools. In 2006, Volunteers began producing special HIV/AIDS education and prevention materials for Kenya's deaf community.

Volunteers work with counterparts in the Kenyan Ministry of Health to support communities' efforts in addressing their public health needs. This includes hygiene education, sanitation improvements to prevent water-borne diseases, and HIV/AIDS education to reduce the incidence of the disease among youth and women. Volunteer activities focus on preventive health and changing attitudes and behaviors in the communities where they live and work. Volunteers also are helping community groups and schools develop reliable supplies of clean water.

Volunteers help Kenyans address unemployment and alleviate poverty by focusing on sustainable income-generating opportunities. They support women and youth groups, community organizations and cooperatives in beekeeping, handicrafts, textiles, agricultural and dairy products and other areas. Volunteers help improve skills of local entrepreneurs, including marketing and bookkeeping skills. Some Volunteers are assigned to vocational and technical institutions to assist with computer literacy and the use of information technology in business and other areas.

Last updated Sep 28 2008