North Eastern

Kenya's pastoralist community in the arid lands plays an important role in Kenya's economy. Pastoralists contribute to the local economy with meat and milk production. They account for 70% of the national herd and supply 71% of the beef consumed locally, an estimated 320,000 metric tons per year.

As devout Muslims, a large number of Kenya's pastoralists have never applied for bank loans to expand their businesses due to their religious beliefs.

One hundred miles (160 kms) from the Somalia border, in Kenya’s North East Province, lies the district of Garissa. With 90% unemployment among youth, Garissa could be fertile ground for the recruitment of young people into extremist groups and activities.

 Like many Garissa youth, Muawiya Karone believed his dream of becoming a journalist was never going to materialize.  “I stayed home for more than eight months after high school graduation. I had no future, no money and spent days doing nothing.

Jeremiah Kiplangat is pursuing his dream of becoming a community health nurse at the Embu District Hospital in Eastern Kenya. But his life hasn’t always been so easy.  As a disabled orphan living in the Embu slums, Kiplagat struggled through primary and secondary school. He would often go hungry, walk long distances to school and borrow books and stationary to complete assignments. All this coupled with having to cope with the unique learning problems and marginalization that comes with being an albino.

January 2011 marked a new beginning for 27-year-old Robert Mwenda. When his parents passed away during his childhood he was forced to drop out of school and fend for himself by doing odd jobs. The streets became his new home and other street children the only family he knew. Destitute and dejected, Mwenda had to postpone his dreams indefinitely.