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FAQs
Where is Kenya?
Kenya lies astride the equator on the eastern coast
of Africa and covers an area of 583,000 sq. km (225,000
sq. miles). Kenya is bordered in the north by Sudan
and Ethiopia, in the east by Somalia, on the southeast
by the Indian Ocean, on the southwest by Tanzania
and to the west by Lake Victoria and Uganda.
What is the native language?
English and Swahili are the official languages and
are taught in schools throughout Kenya. Many vernacular
languages are also spoken in various parts of the
country.
How many people live below the poverty
line?
The majority of Nairobi's urban population of 1.9
million lives in the vast shanty settlements that
surround the central business district.
Where is Kibera?
Kibera is the largest slum in East Africa. Its population
of over one million (half of whom are under age 15)
are crammed together in appalling conditions, living
in an area of about 1sq. mile. Basic government services,
such as water provision, education, health care, and
sewage disposal, do not exist. Ethnic tensions arise
from identity politics and patron-client relations
between the major ethnic groups (Nubians, Luo, Luhya,
and Kamba).
Nairobi Statistics:
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70% of the
population live in 2% of the physical space.
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2.2 million
people in Kenya are HIV positive - one person in
every thirteen.
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In Nairobi,
as many as 30% of the population is HIV positive.
What about Aids?
In Kenya, many people lack education regarding Aids,
and superstition has also hindered prevention efforts.
In Kibera, children are sexually exploited and youths
turn to sex as their only pleasure because books are
too expensive and there are no playgrounds for sports.
Aids has been declared a national disaster in Kenya.
Millions of children have been orphaned
by the Aids epidemic, which has exposed them to widespread
abuse. Many Kenyan youngsters are forced out of school
to become breadwinners, or to fend for themselves,
when family members fall ill or die as a result of
contracting Aids - forcing many of them into dangerous
jobs, including prostitution, which for some girls
is the only way to make a living.
Boo - Giving Opportunity not Charity
is working to try to secure a better future for some
of these children. The task is almost overwhelming
and your support is greatly appreciated.
"Don't just give me a fishing
rod - teach me how to fish" - Kibera orphan
child.
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