Kenya
OVERVIEW
Though debilitated by decades of poor governance and lack of investment, Kenya's economy is still the largest and most diversified in the region. A critical transportation hub for all of East Africa, Kenya is a linchpin country for the growth and stability of the entire region. U.S. assistance to Kenya promotes peace and manages conflict, stimulates economic growth, and supports changes already underway toward improving good governance, health, education, and environmental management. Following the crisis that ensued after the contested elections in December 2007, the U.S. Government committed to provide a $100-million recovery package that has three main components: peace and reconciliation, support for reform, and restored livelihoods and communities.
PROGRAMS
PEACE AND SECURITY
USAID continues to support ongoing conflict management initiatives nationally and locally. These initiatives focus on developing an effective early warning model, strengthening district peace committees that mitigate and prevent conflict, and assisting the government in establishing and implementing a comprehensive crisis-response policy.
GOVERNING JUSTLY AND DEMOCRATICALLY
USAID works with Kenya's Parliament, justice system, and political parties to improve the system of checks and balances and strengthen anti-corruption reforms that reduce impunity and promote the rule of law. New local governance reforms will not only promote transparency, but also increase the level of citizen participation in governance. Complementing the government assistance, USAID works to improve civil society's capacity to advocate for further government reforms, provide citizen input to influence government policy, and monitor the government's progress on its reform agenda.
INVESTING IN PEOPLE: HEALTH
USAID works on several levels in Kenya to reduce the transmission and impact of HIV/AIDS and to prevent and control infectious diseases, especially malaria. Programs also work to reduce maternal and child mortality, improve family and reproductive health, and increase access to safe drinking water. USAID also works at the national level to strengthen health systems, including logistics, and build human resource capacity.
INVESTING IN PEOPLE: EDUCATION
Better education contributes directly to better health and greater productivity in the workforce, promoting a stable democratic society. USAID works to increase access to basic education, improve quality of education, and raise the enrolment rates of children from marginalized areas in the northeastern and coastal parts of the country. USAID activities will increase the number of children from these marginalized populations that attend and complete school, improve teacher training practices, and provide professional development for teachers and administrators.
ECONOMIC GROWTH
Kenya's economy depends heavily on agriculture and tourism, both of which rely on the conservation and sustainable management of the country's rich diversity of natural resources. USAID programs help improve the management of and increase investment in Kenya's wildlife and forest resources, while advancing the policy and legal frameworks for increased agricultural productivity, environmental management, and sustainable, productive land use. USAID also works to enhance the productivity and competitiveness in key agricultural sub-sectors by investing in agricultural and trade policy, mobilizing and enhancing the participation of the private sector in the economy, shaping the enabling environment small businesses, expanding trade, and strengthening microenterprises.
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
USAID assistance supports the continuation of the Famine Early Warning System, which mitigates the effects of acute food shortages caused by drought, floods, and civil strife. By providing timely and enhanced information, early warning systems improve the appropriateness, timeliness, and quality of food security intervention planning in Kenya.
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