Kenya is the most economically diverse country in East Africa and has enormous potential for development. However, it remains politically unstable after the violence after the 2008 elections. Economically the situation has improved since 2008/9 when drought, the effects of the global financial crisis and rising prices of food affected growth. Economic growth is now around 5% per annum, though this is lower than several neighbouring countries. Kenya’s population has grown by 35% in a decade, standing at 36.8 million in 2009. Poverty has declined but 40% of the population still live on less than US$2 per day. Health provision is poor in most areas, especially in maternal and child services, and life expectancy is 54 years.
Despite its rapidly growing population, Kenya is provisionally on track to achieve universal primary education by 2015. Following the introduction of free primary education in 2003, enrolment increased from 80% in 2003 to 93% in 2009, although the quality of education remains low and there are problems with high drop out and poor completion rates. Secondary school enrolment is 50% with wide regional variations.
Book Aid International has worked in Kenya since 1965. Our main partner is the Kenya National Library Service whose network of 57 public libraries stretches across the country. We donate over 70,000 books to Kenya every year, most through KNLS. In addition to stock for its own libraries and Camel Library Service (CLS), KNLS distributes books to schools and colleges across the country. Separately we provide books directly to up to six universities each year.
Kenya is also the site of our largest programme. We are now in the second year of a three-year project funded by the Elsevier Foundation’s Innovative Libraries in Developing Countries programme, which addresses a significant gap in health information provision for health care workers through establishing health sections in public libraries and in partnership with KNLS, this project is making huge strides in improving the access to good quality health information for health workers, and improving the skills of public librarians in assessing and repackaging the information for a local context. You can also read a fuller report about this vital project.
Book Aid International and KNLS are also working together to encourage children to read by developing bright, vibrant children’s book corners in twelve regional libraries, receiving over 20,000 donated books from Book Aid International and locally purchased books, including Swahili titles. Children benefit from new furniture, toys and games, and librarians are enthusiastic about the training they receive in child-friendly services. Initially funded by the Vitol Charitable Foundation, the project has been extended thanks to funding from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.
Over the past two years we have also built up a programme working with local NGOs and communities. We have worked with the Slums Information and Development Resource Centres (SIDAREC) in developing a library and a new project to establish a mobile library for schools in Kibera, the largest slum in Nairobi, and with the Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA) in the development of community libraries within the Mathare slum of Nairobi.
We have also expanded our work in rural areas. We have provided books and supported a training programme for staff and volunteers at the Arid Lands Information Centre’s (ALIN) Maarifa (knowledge) centres, which serve as information hubs for farmers using the internet and printed materials. Recently some centres have been expanded to include books both for students and the wider community. We are planning a bigger programme with ALIN to support the development of more Maarifa centres in Kenya and other countries in the region in future.
Finally, in 2010 we worked with the KidsLibs Trust and the local community to build and stock a library in Gacharageini in Murang’a district. This was a very successful project which provided a new community library serving over 2,000 local people.
