1and1 Childsplay Ad Lampshade Advert
INFORMATION
CLIPS
Kenya

 
Kenya flag

Africa Homepage

Article Information

Country Statistics

News & Media

Arts & Culture

Organisations

Education

Travel

Sports

Technology

Links

 

Article Information

Mantaproduction.com
The production company behind the Umoja film
Guardian.co.uk
Article questioning the rape allegations made in the film Africaguide.com
Article on Samburu tribe
Robert Carrhartley Photography.com
The Kenyan born photographer’s work on the Samburu

Back to top

 

Country Statistics

Facts

Demographics

Economy

Industry

Communications

Read All

Facts and figures supplied by
CIA world factbook for Kenya

Last updated on the 26/01/09

Back to top

 

Facts

Official Name:

Kenya or Republic of Kenya

Location:

Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania

Capital:

Nairobi

Area:

Total: 582,650 sq km

Back to Statistics

Back to top

 

Demographics

Population:

36,913,721... Read more 

Life Expectancy

Total population:
55.31 years

Life expectancy:

Male 55.24 years

Female 55.37 years (2007 est.)

Language:

English and Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages

Religion

Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, Muslim 10%, indigenous beliefs 10%, other 2%

Back to Statistics

Back to top

 

Economy

Economy

The regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa, Kenya has been hampered by corruption and by reliance upon several primary goods whose prices have remained low. Read more

Currency

Kenyan shilling (KES)

GDP per Capita

$1,200 (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

50% (2000 est.)

Back to Statistics

Back to top

 

Industry

Agricultural Products

Tea, coffee, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairy products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs

Industries

Small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries, textiles, clothing, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products, horticulture, oil refining; aluminum, steel, lead; cement, commercial ship repair, tourism

Exports

Tea, horticultural products, coffee, petroleum products, fish, cement

Imports

Machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, motor vehicles, iron and steel, resins, plastics

Back to Statistics

Back to top

 

Communications

International Dialling Code

+254

Internet suffix

.ke

Back to Statistics

Back to top

 

News & Media

News in English

Africa News

International News

Television

Radio

Back to top

 

News in English

Latest News
Latest Kenya headlines

Afrol Kenya
Independent news agency dedicated exclusively to Africa
Coastweek
Covers mainly news, sports and entertainment
IndexKenya
Index of articles published in Kenyan newspapers... Read more 
Daily Nation
Daily newspaper
East African
Daily newspaper
East Standard
Long established national newspaper
Times News
Newspaper, magazine articles, analysis etc. on Kenya and the world

Back to News

Back to top

 

Africa News

Latest News
Latest Africa headlines

Africa-Interactive.net
Africa Interactive foundation’s mission... Read more 
Afrik.com
News site in French
Afrol.com
African News Agency.... Read more
AllAfrica.com
News from 125 African news organisations in English and French
East African Business Week
Weekly East African business newspaper.... Read more 
The East African
Articles from the latest issue of the Kenya newspaper.... Read more
IRIN News.org
Part of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs,... Read more
JHR.org
Journalists for Human Rights
Nation Media
In-depth coverage on Africa news, politics,... Read more 
OneWorld.net-Africa
Daily world news, views, campaigns,... Read more 
Panapress
Africa, News agency, information, media,... Read more 
Stanford University
Excellent site for African news links
World Press.org-Africa
Daily world news from African newspapers

Back to News

Back to top

 

International News

ABYZ News links
Search worldwide news links by country
AlJazeera.net
Middle East based news site in English
BBC News
British Broadcasting Corporation
CNN News
Cable News Network
Google News
Online Search Engine News
Guardian Newspaper
English Daily Newspaper Online World Edition
IndyMedia.org
A collective of independent media organizations... Read more 
IPS News
Inter Press Service - a leading civil society news agency... Read more 
LiveLeak.com-News
Video site with news reports from around the world
OneWorld.net
Aiming to provide the best online resource for news, opinion,... Read more 
Online newspapers
Worldwide links to newspapers..... Read more 
Peace Reporter
Reporting conflicts & good news from the world.
Reuters
World renown News Agency
Sky World News
Part of the News Corporation Group
World Press.org
Guide to the international press,... Read more 

Back to News

Back to top

 

Television

Kenya Television

Africa Television

International Television

Back to News

 

Kenya Television

KBC.ke
Kenya Broadcast Corporation

Back to television

Back to News

 

Africa Television

Africast
Live news, sports and entertainment from local broadcasters in several African countries
Afrovision
Videos on music, tv-shows and sports and user videos

Back to television

Back to News

 

International Television

Al Islam
Muslim Television Ahmadiyya reaching the corners of the earth
AZN Television
The network for Asian American
BBC World
World renown British Broadcasting Corporation
CNN TV
CNN TV Listings
Reuters Video
Reuters News Video
Sky News TV
Upto the minute news reports from Sky News

Back to television

Back to News

 

Radio

Kenya Radio

Africa Radio

International Radio

Back to News

 

Kenya Radio

KBC.ke
CapitalFM
EastFM
Kenya no. 1 Asian radio station
Ghetto Radio
Set up to reveal the fuller picture of ghetto life and culture in Nairobi and other cities.

Back to Radio

Back to News

 

Africa Radio

Africa N1
Paris based African radio station in French
African Hip Hop Radio
AfricanHipHopRadio.com is the continuation of the Rumba-Kali webcast ... Read more 
African Music Radio
Promoting African Music to the world through the internet
First Voice International Radio
Providing underserved populations with vital information from satellite radio
Ghetto Radio
Revealling the fuller picture of ghetto life and culture in Africa
Trans World Africa
Trans World Radio broadcasts the Gospel of Jesus Christ... Read more 

Back to Radio

Back to News

 

International Radio

BBC World Service
Renown British Broadcasting Corporation World Service
Radio-locator
Links to over 10,000 radio station web pages... Read more 
Radio Station World
Global Radio Directory

Back to Radio

Back to News

 

Arts & Culture

Art

Culture

Film

Museums

Music

Theatre

Back to top

 

Kenya Art

African Colours - Kenya
Gallery for Kenyan & African artists
Afromix.org
Kenyan arts & culture page
Art + Life + Kenya
Bringing art and the spirit of creativity into the face of the African AIDS crisis.
Inside Africa Art
Artz Gallery in Nairobi, Kenya - The Inside African Art Partner
Magical Kenya.com
Article on Kenyan art
Mount Kenya Art Galleries
The Mount Kenya Art Galleries present works by traditional and modern African artists
Our Earth as Art
Aerial photograph of Kilimanjaro from the Nasa website

Back to Arts

Back to top

Africa Art

Adire African Textiles
Site dedicated to African Textiles
African Colours
Gallery for African artists
African Philosophy Resources
Database of African Philosophy
Africa Resource.com Art Gallery
Online exhibition of Africa Art
Art & Life in Africa
Lots of links to African Arts
Art Matters
flaunting arts and culture in Africa

Back to Arts

Back to top

 

Kenya Culture

Bluegecko
A multimedia encyclopaedia dedicated to tribes and people of Kenya
Classic Escapes
Article on Kenyan culture
dmoz
Open directory project with links to Kenyan culture
Encyclopedia Britannica
Student Encyclopedia Article on Kenyan culture
Everyculture.com
Extensive article on Kenyan culture
Portals To The World
Selected resources from the Library of Congress
Masai of Kenya
Dedicated to Masai culture
Wikipedia - Culture of Kenya
Article from Wikipedia on Kenyan culture

Back to Arts

Back to top

Africa Culture

Africultures.com
Providing information on and in-depth analysis of contemporary cultural... Read more 
Africa e Mediterraneo
An interdisciplinary journal of African cultural studies,... Read more 
African Wildlife Foundation
The leading international conservation organization focused solely on Africa
Behind the Mask
Through journalistic activism, strives to change negative... Read more 
Cafe Africana
A centre for arts, culture, lifestyle and politics
Internet African History Sourcebook
History site for Africa
Warm Africa.com-Culture
Site covering News, Travel, Culture, Sport & Economy

Back to Arts

Back to top

 

Kenya Film

baobab.net
Contact detail for a Kenyan production company
BBC News
BBC News article on Kenyan video parlours
Cinematour.com
Cinemas in Kenya
Kenya Film Commision
All the details you need to know for filming in Kenya
Mandy.com
Listings of production companies in Kenya

Back to Arts

Back to top

Africa Film

Africa Cinemas
A new impetus to the exhibition of African,... Read more 
Africam.com
Africam - always live, always wild
African Film.com
Distributing films that focus on the human experience of black people in Africa,... Read more 
African Film Commission
The official organization that promotes the economic development and integration of African film industry
African Women in Cinema
Project by Beti Ellerson, Ph.D. on African Women in Cinema
Columbia Universities Libraries
Links to Africa Films & Videos site
Filmmaker South Africa
Site for South African Filmmakers
SA Film.org
A resource for independent South African film-makers

Back to Arts

Back to top

 

Kenya Museums

BGCI
Details to the National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi Botanic Garden
Kenya Museum Society
Set up in 1970 to support and promote the National Museums of Kenya
Nature Kenya
Article on the National Museum of Kenya (direct link to site appears to be dead at the moment

Back to Arts

Back to top

Africa Museums

Africom.Museum
International Council of African Museums
Allny.com
Listings of African Museums
Clickafrique.com
Directory of African Museums & Galleries
Museum Online South Africa
Listings of South African Museums
National Museum of African Art
The National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution,... Read more 
Royal Museum for Central Africa
Home to some truly remarkable collections
West African Museums Programme
Providing services to museums and related institutions in West Africa

Back to Arts

Back to top

 

Kenya Music


Afromix.org
Article on Kenyan music with links to artists
Audiosparx
Download site of Kenyan ethnic music
Blue Gecko
Traditional music and cultures of Kenya
Calabash Music
Kenyan music guide to fair trade music downloads featuring independent artists from around the world
East African music
Trends about Kenyan popular music and more links
Kenya Gospel.com
Kenyan music download site
Kenya Page - Music
Information on Kenya’s music scene
Pan African Allstars
Contemporary African Music from Kenya
Wikipedia - Music of Kenya
Wkipedia page on the Kenyan music scene

Back to Arts

Back to top

Africa Music

Africa Hit.com
Streaming the best African music videos 24/7
African Music
African music encyclopedia
African Music Hub
A portal for African Music with access to sites,... Read more 
African Musicians Profiles.com
Think the title says it all
Afropop.org
African & World music via public radio & the web
BBC Music
Echoes of Africa - Looking at the influence of African music
Dance Drummer.com
Brilliant site about African Drumming with lots of interactivety & videos
ILAM TITLE
International Library of African Music (ILAM)... Read more 
Madunia
Promoting African music and supporting local initiatives of African musicians
RootsWorld Africa
Links to African Music
Xplastaz.com
Maasai Hip Hop - African Rap
Zadonu.com
African Music & Dance Company

Back to Arts

Back to top

 

Kenya Theatre

Article19.org
(Pdf file 224KB) Women’s voices and African Theatre:... Read more 
KPAG
Kenyan Performing Arts Group
Soul Beat Africa
Article on the Amani Peoples Theatre
Theatre Company.net
(PDF file 224KB) Article on Kenyan Theatre.

Back to Arts

Back to top

Africa Theatre

AfriCan Theatre Ensemble
Making African theatre accessible to the public... Read more 
African Theatre USA
Providing African Theatre, drama, and entertainment, with Africa pictures online
Click Afrique.com
Links to African theatre & Entertainment
EATI.net
Eastern Africa Theatre Institute.... Read more 
Iroko Theatre Company
Interactive performances in the art of oral storytelling,... Read more 

Back to Arts

Back to top

 

Organisations

Governmental

Non Governmental

Back to top

 

Governmental

Kenya

Africa

Back to Organisations

 

Kenya

ClickAfrique.com
Web directory for Kenya government websites
dmoz.org
Open directory project - Kenya government links
Governments on the WWW
Government institutions for Kenya
Kendir.com
Informative web directory for Kenya government organisations
Kenya.go
Kenya Government Website
Kenya High Commission
Kenya High Commission UK website
Kenya MOD
Kenya Government Ministry of state for defence

Back to Governmental

Back to Organisations

 

Africa

Africa Information
African government websites
Finance Wise.com
African Government and Supranational Sites
Keele Guide
The Keele Guide to African Government & Politics... Read more 
Orenga Politics
Oxford Research Network on Government in Africa
University of Michigan
University of Michigan... Read more 

Back to Governmental

Back to Organisations

 

Non-Governmental

Kenya

Africa

Back to Organisations

 

Kenya

AMWIK.org
The Association of Media Women in Kenya... Read more 
Beads for education
Organisation working to enhance the status of women and promote environmental awareness
FHI.org
Family Health Organisation - Kenya
KAWI.org
Kenya Aids Watch Institute
KCYP.org
Kibera Community Youth Programme
Kenya Water for Health Organisation
KWAHO provides water and sanitation for disadvantaged communities
Kenya Wildlife Service
Organisation for biodiversity conservation and management... Read more 
MYSA.org
Mathare Youth Sports Association
Oxfam - Kenya
Oxfam UK’s work in Kenya
Peacewomen
The Peacewomen site holds contact information to several women organisations in Kenya
Women organisations
Listing of several women organisations in Kenya with contact information

Back to Non-Governmental

Back to Organisations

 

Africa

Actionaid in Africa
A unique partnership of people... Read more 
ACTSA.org
Action for Southern Africa striving to build... Read more 
Africa Resource
An educational portal that develops and distributes educational materials,... Read more 
AJOL.info
African Journals Online.... Read more 
Amnesty International-South Africa
South Africa website of Amnesty International
AWF
The African Wildlife Foundation
CUL-African Studies
A wealth of information & links about Africa from Columbia University Library
HOPEHIV
Seeking to offer HIV infected/affected children in sub-Saharan Africa support and hope for the future
IFEX-Africa
International Freedom of Expression eXchange.... Read more 
MSF-Africa
Médecins Sans Frontiéres. Doctors without Borders... Read more 
RECLISA
Reducing Exploitive Child Labour in South Africa.
ReliefWeb-Africa
The world’s leading on-line gateway to information... Read more 
Sahims.net
Southern Africa Humanitarian Information... Read more 
Salesian Society
Internationally recognised leaders in the field of schooling for the poor,... Read more 
SARPN
The Southern African Regional Poverty Network... Read more 
UNPAN-Africa
United Nations Online Network in Public Administration... Read more 

Back to Non-Governmental

Back to Organisations

 

Education

Schools

Colleges

Universities

Back to top

 

Schools

Aga Khan Schools
The Aga Khan Education Service in Kenya operates 13 schools in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu and Eldoret
CFSK.org
Computers for Schools Kenya
FKSW.org
Friends of Kenya Schools and Wildlife (FKSW)
Free the Children
Building schools in Kenya
Galilee Primary School
Education centre for over 850 poor children who live in the Soweto area of Nairobi, Kenya
Gradfinder.com
Friend finding site for schools in Kenya
HSK.org
Harambee Schools Kenya
ISK
International School of Kenya
Massai Association
The Merrueshi Primary School is located in the Merrueshi community,... Read more 
Unicef.org - Kenya
Article on the abolition of school fees in Kenya
Wikipedia -Schools
Wikipedia - Listing of schools in Kenya

Back to Education

Back to top

 

Colleges

Baraka Agricultural College
promoting sustainable agriculture and rural development in Eastern Africa
ITEC
Colleges of Kenya
Tangaza College
Tangaza College is a centre of Catholic theological... Read more 
Trinity College
Trinity College is an Anglican Church of Kenya resource center for continuing education in theology
Unesco.org
Kenyan teacher training colleges
Vision Institute
Established and managed by lecturers to provide high quality training... Read more 
Wikipedia - Colleges
Wikipedia - Colleges & Universities of Kenya

Back to Education

Back to top

 

Universities

Africa Nazarene Univeristy
Providing a holistic education that develops individuals academically, spiritually, culturally and physically
Braintrack.com
Listings of universities in Kenya
eduKenya.com
Extensive database with information on educational institutions in Kenya
Egerton University
A world class University for the advancement of humanity
Kenya Education Network
News, information and learning resources
Kenyatta University
A community of scholars committed to the generation and dissemination of knowledge and cultivation... Read more 
KWUST
Kiriri Women’s University of Science and Technology (KWUST)
Moi University
Kenya’s leading university in teaching, research and development
Nairobi University
A world-class African University and a community of scholars... Read more 
Strathmore University
Strathmore University is one of the leading private universities in Kenya
Wikipedia - Universities
Wikipedia - Colleges & Universities of Kenya

Back to Education

Back to top

 

Travel

Travel Information

Air

Land

Sea

Train

Travel Links

Back to top

 

Travel Information

Advice

General advice & information on safety and security...Read more

Currency

ATM, travel cheques and exchange information Read more

Health Precautions

Important information on medical facilities, vaccinations, food and drinks...Read more

Passports & Visas

Do you need a visa?...Read more

Back to Travel

Back to top

 

Air

Lets-go-travel.net
International Airline operators flights in and out of Nairobi, destinations and days ofdeparture
Wordtravels.com
Information on Kenya airports

Kenya has two main airports; Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, 16 km from Nairobi and Moi International Airport, 12 km from Mombasa. International airport departure tax is equivalent to approx. UK £25 person, which is normally included in your ticket. A local departure tax of KES 200 is payable for domestic flights.

Back to Travel

Back to top

 

Land

Car

Public Transport

Back to Travel

Back to top

 

Car

Car Rental

Africapoint.com
Discount Online Kenya Rental Car Reservation and Information
Argus Rentals
Arguscarhire.com the webs biggest car hire site supply car hire in Kenya
Budget-Kenya
Budget car rentals-Kenya
Car Hire Kenya
Car hire / rental in Nairobi, Kenya. 4x4 and saloon cars for self - drive safaris and holidays
East Africa Shuttles
Kenya Car Rental,... Read more 
Kenyaweb.com
Listing of Nairobi based car rental companies
Nova car hire
Competitive & instant Kenya car rental quotes... Read more 
Shoor Travel
Car rental-Kenya

Back to Land

Back to top

 

Public Transport

Buses & Taxis

Eastafricashuttle
Information on some coach and shuttle bus services
Kenyaweb Transport
Local bus services
Scandinavia Express
Long distance and international bus service

Back to Land

Back to top

 

Sea

Deep Sea Fishing
Deep sea fishing, big game fishing, sports fishing in kenya
Kenya Beach Travel
Information and guide to deep sea fishing in Kenya off the coast of Mombasa
Sea Adventures
Kenyan fishing trips
Sea Scouts-Kenya
Sea Scouting in Kenya
Watamu Turtles
Marine Conservation Volunteer Program

Back to Travel

Back to top

 

Train

East Africa Shuttles
Train departure and arrival information
Seat61.com
Train times, prices and further information... Read more 

Back to Travel

Back to top

Travel Links

Advance-Africa.com
Kenya Volunteers
African-Drumming
Should you fancy going on a drumming holiday in East Africa...
Africa guide
Africa Guide’s Kenya site
Go2Africa
Independent travel site for South and East Africa
Kenya Travel
Kenya Travel Organisation
Kenya Travel Ideas
Interesting ideas, facts, recepies and tours
Kenya Travel Ideas-Links
Kenyan travel links
MyKenyaTrip.com
A journey through Kenya
Nature Kenya
Birdwatching in Kenya
World66.com
An open content travel guide on the Net with good travel resources and links

Back to Travel

Back to top

 

Sports

Kenya sports

Africa sports

Back to top

 

Kenya

MYSA
Mathare Youth Sports Association
Football
Good football dedicated site
Sports
Various local articles, blogs, news on different sports in Kenya

Back to sports

 

Africa

Africabasket.com
Africa basektball portal
African Football
African Football news from the BBC
Africa Guide
Live African Sports News
African Sport
African Sport e-magazine... Read more 
African Studies Center
links to African Sports
African Studies Center
Library, documentation and information on African Sports.
ANOCOA
Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa
Cafonline.com
Confederation of African Football... Read more 
iafrica.com
Sports news from Africa.
Stanford Library
African Sports links.

Back to sports

Back to top

 

Technology

Internet

Technology

Telecommunications

Back to top

 

Internet

Africa Online-Kenya
African internet provider
Allbusiness.com
Kenya dial up service
Cybercages.com-Kenya
Kenyan Internet Cafes
Guide for Africa.com
Kenyan Internet Cafes
Kenya Web.com
African Review of Business and Technnology
The List.com
Kenya ISPs for Country Code +254
Mobileafrica.net
News, information and other resources about mobile communications technology
RC Bowen.com
Links to Internet providers in Kenya
Swift Kenya.com
Kenyan corporate internet solutions
UNECA.org article
Article on Kenyan internet connectivity
World66-Internet Cafes
Reviews of Nairobi Internet Cafes

Back to Technology

Back to top

 

Technology

Atpsnet.org
African Technology Policy Studies Network
Allbusiness.com
African Review of Business and Technnology
Guardian Online article
Kenya’s harvest of old PCs
Library of Congress
Science and Techology : Kenya
UNjobs.org-Kenya
Information resources about science and technology in Kenya... Read more 

Back to Technology

Back to top

 

Telecommunications

All Africa.com article
Government Set to License Fourth Mobile Operator
BBC news article
From Matatu to the Masai via mobile
CCK
The Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK)... Read more 
Celtel
Kenyan Mobile Network provider
Guardian online article
Kenya sets world first with money transfers by mobile
Mobileafrica.net
News, information and other resources about mobile communications technology
Oneworld.net-mobile
Mobile for Good (M4G) is a social franchise project... Read more 
Safaricom
Kenya’s Largest Mobile network
TESPOK
Telecommunications Service Providers Association of Kenya
White African.com article
Farmers in Kenya Using a Mobile Information Exchange

Back to Technology

Back to top

 

Links

Kenya-media.com
Selected Media Links
RC Bowen.com
Site with information about Kenya
Stanford University
Lots of links to a variety of organisations, research centres and articles on Kenya-related topics
UN Kenya
Links to a wide variety of topics, jobs, politics, news etc

Back to top

Kenya Map
Click Image to Enlarge
 

Umoja, the village where men are forbidden

At the beginning of the 90’s, many Samburu women were allegedly raped by British soldiers and were as a result abandonned by their husbands. These women decided to group together and created “Umoja“ (unity in Swahili), a village where men are forbidden. This documentary shows an intimate portrait of these women; their courage, fears and hopes. To learn more about the clip, please look in information bar to your left.

Women in Kenya, can a mobile phone help to change women’s status?

Watching‚ "Umoja, the village where men are forbidden" the title of this article might seem naive or even derogatory. However, with Kenya’s unprecedented spread of mobile phones and investments in mobile commerce, many women in this East African country are slowly gaining more independence and increasing their status in society.

Kenya is a patriarchal society and its current gender politics is far from satisfactory. In fact, as seen in the clip, it’s often unacceptable. Kenyan governments have constantly failed to combat the inequality that has put women in Kenya in a dire situation, making them more at risk from poverty, HIV and violence. This is nothing new, and nothing that takes place in Kenya alone.

But what makes Kenya unique in this respect is how the country has paved the way for mobile commerce, and with it, the many different and innovative ways women have taken this new technology to heart, and are using it to their own advantage. This predicts a positive movement in the Kenyan gender politics.

Health

Mobile technology provides a lifeline for HIV/AIDS sufferers. Women are the majority of the sufferers and thus the most heavily affected by both too expensive medication and a lack of it. It’s difficult to implement well-functioning drug programs in remote locations, and Kenya's health care system doesn't adequately handle the scope of the disease. People miss their appointments either because they have limited access to transport or because they can't afford the fare. The Non Government Organisation 'One World' and UmNyango, a pan African organization with one of its bases in the capital Nairobi, run projects that uses text messages to give women advice on health issues and violence at home. The phone also allows women to anonymously report any gender-based violence.

Symptoms indicative of dangerous side effects from HIV can be dealt with much quicker by sending sms to a clinic and arranging an appointment. Daily advice can also be sent to subscribers specifying how to prevent and handle infections. The burden of care for orphans and the sick and elderly often lies on the women, and this technology does not only help the sick, but in this way, also the carers.

Business

Mobile technology offers a convenient outlet for women to access information from the outside world. A phone call allows them to check market price for crops and livestock, which can be the key to running a successful businesses. There are several case examples of where women have become successful entrepreneurs thanks to owning or having access to a mobile phone. One woman put down her entire profit at her diner to her phone as it gave her the ability to call her suppliers to deliver the ingredients rather than spending time collecting it herself. The phone can also help women to keep in contact with their families whilst conducting business away.

In a country where many people lack bank accounts and other means of communication, having a phone, or just having access to one, does make a difference. Some women‚ often referred to as mobile phone ladies‚ make business out of charging customers for making calls through their own mobile. Some people decide to collectively buy and share a phone and contribute towards its maintenance to lower the costs.

Remittances

Mobile technology has transformed the way people work together as it has made the transfer of small amounts of money much easier. People who live in urban areas are now capable of sending money home to their families via a mobile phone. Department for International Development (DFID) tells the story about Grace, living in Nairobi, who sends money home to her father in rural Kenya by using her cell phone. Instead of sending cash, she sends mobile phone air time. Via a code in a text message her father can access this air time and use it as a virtual currency. He can use it to sell on to merchants, purchase goods via entering a PIN code or put the air time on his phone to be able to talk to Grace or other relatives. A large number of people in Kenya rely on remittances from relatives living abroad. Payments from abroad can also be transferred into cyber currency, enabling far-flung relatives to buy air time and have it transferred on to their relatives mobile phone accounts.

The mobile commerce industry is still in its infancy, but it's growing at an unprecedented speed. Safaricom and Celtel, Kenya ’s mobile operators, have today more than 6 million subscribers and counting. However, as with landlines (out of Kenya’s approximate 300,000 fixed lines, only 15,000 are rural connections), the benefits are at present much restricted to the cities.

Yet, where governments and decision makers have failed to improve the situation for women in Kenya, mobiles phones have in many cases proved to be more efficient.

Still, we cannot, and should not, ignore that fact that most mobile phone owners are men, and they ripe the benefit of this new technology as much as women‚Äö√Ñ√∂ or possibly more so. The women in Umoja are likely to have to wait for quite some time before they can benefit from mobile commerce. Illiteracy, lack of education and violence against women is still too common a problem in Kenya, and infringements on women’s civil, political and human rights is ongoing. This is nothing a mobile phone alone can solve.

Print Article   Submit   

Game of Life
Game of Life
MYSA film highlighting the link between AIDS & sexual promiscuity
Umoja, the village where men are forbidden
Umoja, the village where men are forbidden
Documentary on gender discrimination in Kenya
Good Fortune
Good Fortune
Why is foreign aid still failing communities.