Kenya

kenya flag

Jambo / Hello from Kenya

Language: Swahili

Kenya, an Eastern African country that touches the Indian Ocean, encompasses savannas, lake lands, mountain highlands and the dramatic Great Rift Valley. Kenya is home to Masai tribes, wild safaris and sweeping landscapes. It is also a land of droughts and famines. Compassion-assisted children experience these realities daily. But at the Compassion center, there is hope.

Kenya Stats

POPULATION: 51,044,355
85.5% Christian
10.9% Muslim

134,585
CHILDREN SERVED

473
CHURCHES SERVING

43
YEARS SERVING

A young Masai boy smiles in the desert landscape of Kenya

A young Masai boy smiles in the desert landscape of Kenya.

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Children smile while playing jump rope at their child development center playground

Children smile while playing jump rope at their child development center playground.

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A woman stands inside the remains of her home after a flood

A woman stands inside the remains of her home after a flood.

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Children sit against the wall of a home

Children sit against the wall of a home.

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A young boy stands in a grassy field with mountains behind him

A young boy stands in a grassy field with mountains behind him.

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A group of women sit together and smile

A group of women sit together and smile.

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A young child sleeps peacefully on top of an empty burlap sack

A young child sleeps peacefully on top of an empty burlap sack.

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A group of children smile and run at their child development center

A group of children smile and run at their child development center.

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5 FACTS ABOUT KENYA

  1. Kenya is home to the renowned Maasai Mara National Reserve.
  2. Mount Kenya is Africa's second-highest mountain and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  3. Kenyan runners are celebrated for their exceptional long-distance running skills.
  4. The Great Rift Valley stretches through Kenya, offering stunning landscapes and wildlife.
  5. Kenya boasts diverse indigenous cultures with unique traditions and artwork.

RESPONDING TO THE FOOD CRISIS IN KENYA

Issue: Since 2011, Kenya has been gripped in one of the worst droughts in the country’s history, leaving millions of Kenyans in need of humanitarian assistance — including more than 300,000 children currently suffering from malnutrition.

Response: Compassion’s approach to the drought has been comprehensive. Emergency food and water have been distributed across the country. Malnourished children receive food, vitamins and medical care. And many families have been given drought-resistant seeds as part of income-generation projects.

Prayer Point: Pray for the farmers whose entire livelihoods have been destroyed because of the famine – that they can rebuild and provide for their families.

A young girl walks with her mother after receiving food

Beneficiaries take home food packages distributed through Compassion frontline church partners.

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Visit the Compassion blog to learn more about our work in Kenya.

Did You Know?

Kenya is home to more than 40 tribal groups. Together, they have given Kenya a diverse, rich culture.

Sponsor a Child in Kenya

Life in Kenya

Kenya Fast Facts

Official Name: Republic of Kenya

Form of Government: Presidential republic

Capital: Nairobi

Population: 53,527,936

Official Languages: Swahili, English

Currency: Kenyan shilling

Area: 224,081 square miles (580,367 square kilometers)

Major Mountain Ranges: Aberdare Range, Mau Escarpment

Major Rivers: Athi/Galana, Tana

Compassion has been working in Kenya since 1980. These Kenya facts and statistics provide a good picture of the reality of poverty and how child sponsorship through Compassion is making a difference.

Poverty is a problem in the country of Kenya but with your support, Compassion is working to change this. The Kenya facts tell a difficult story, but Compassion is bringing hope in the midst of the difficulties. Our programs are changing the statistics one child at a time.

Don't let the hopelessness of poverty overwhelm you. Sponsor a child in Kenya!