Country Facts:
- Capital city – Nairobi
- Population – 53.3 million
- Life expectancy – 66 years
- Unemployment rate – 9.31%
- Below poverty line – 36.8%
Find more country facts on: CIA The World Factbook – Kenya
Habitat Facts
- Habitat started in Kenya in 1982.
- Individuals served in FY2019 – 998,590
- Through new construction – 115
- Through incremental building – 145
- Through market development – 998,330
- Volunteers hosted in FY2019 – 616
The housing need in Kenya
Kenya has an annual housing demand of 250,000 units with an estimated supply of 50,000 units, culminating in a housing deficit of 2 million units, or 80% deficit. Housing affordability is a key challenge in Kenya with many people unable to afford to buy or build their own home. Only 2% of the formally constructed houses target lower-income families. About 6.4 million people, or of Kenya’s urban population live in informal settlements. Many families are at high risk of diseases such as malaria, respiratory infections and/or parasitic jiggers infestation.
Housing delivery is the responsibility of county governments, which often lack adequate resources. Also, 68% of Kenyans are without land documentation or tenure security.
How Habitat addresses the need
Orphans and Vulnerable Groups housing
Habitat Kenya supports marginalized and/or vulnerable groups in communities such as orphans, widows, the elderly, persons living with disability, etc., who are living in dilapidated housing conditions, lack access to water and proper sanitation facilities and earn less than US$1 a day. Habitat Kenya mobilizes global and local volunteers and community/corporate partners to help build affordable, low-cost houses and promote home ownership for these vulnerable groups as a means of breaking the cycle of poverty.
Community infrastructure
In addition to intervening at the individual and household levels, Habitat Kenya provides solutions that benefit and impact whole communities such as water and sanitation and energy solutions, construction of schools and other community infrastructure.
Advocacy
Through our advocacy program, we empower women and other vulnerable groups to secure land tenure through formal and informal mechanisms of land ownership. We also support county government policymakers to promote policies, laws and systems and practices that advance access to adequate and affordable improved housing conditions and living standards.
Livelihood empowerment
We seek to build the economic well-being of community members by training women, youth and other community groups on financial literacy, the production and marketing of alternative building materials (such as interlocking stabilized soil blocks), and training of construction artisans (known in Kenya as fundis) on appropriate building technology and quality standards.
What you can do
DONATE
Go to habitat.org/donate and designate your gift to Habitat Kenya.
VOLUNTEER
Join one of the scheduled Global Village volunteer construction trips to Kenya or lead your own. Contact us to learn more: [email protected].
TITHE
All affiliate tithe gifts are sent internationally to serve families outside of the United States. To support the work of Habitat KENYA, please send your tithe to: Habitat for Humanity International P.O. Box 6598 Americus, GA 31709-3498.
CONTACT
Rita Munyae
resource development and communications manager
Ruth Odera
national director
