Why Kenia ?

Kenya. A country in East Africa. It is the home of elephants, giraffes, zebras, and some lions. Many enthusiastic tourists travel to the south of the country to admire the wildlife in the Serengeti national park. But Kenya has so much more to see, learn and recognize.

The people here are dealing with each other quite differently from what we know in the German, individualistic culture. Collectivity, family and mutually taking care of each other are significant values. On the street, two strangers quickly start a conversation, look each other in the eye and smile at each other.

Kenya exports mainly coffee, tea, and cut flowers. The country used to be an English colony and the goods England wanted from Kenya are still grown there. However, these products don’t possess much value in the world market. Even though,  compared to its neighbors, Kenya is doing relatively well, the country is a developing country and a poor one. Half of the population leads a life below the poverty line and one in four has to live on less than a dollar a day. In Nairobi, the capital, 60% of the people live in slums. At the same time, there are villas in this city with high walls and people who are very wealthy. The gap between the poor and the rich is wide in Kenya and is clearly visible in the capital. The East African country is one of the 20 most corrupt countries in the world, which implies that the government is corrupt and that bribery matters more than the law.