Kenya: Development, Health and Society

Beginning Spring 2010, this program will be titled:

Kenya: Health and Community Development


Program Overview

Explore the intersections of economics, health, and social development in Kenya—home to more than 40 ethnic groups, each retaining a strong sense of cultural identity. The country has worked hard to reconcile diverse perspectives on development and health care as it allocates limited resources. Students will learn about Kenya’s advances in educational training, infrastructure, and technical development, and gain an understanding of the vibrant private sector and successful coalition-building efforts that have helped to strengthen Kenya’s economy.

Homestays and educational excursions help illustrate that access to health care remains an issue for this predominantly rural population. Students interact with a wide array of local contacts in cosmopolitan, multiethnic Nairobi, the regional base for numerous local and international nongovernmental organizations engaged in development and health-related projects.

SIT Study Abroad alum studied self-esteem of Kenyan girls
Wellesley senior Katie Bunten-Wren of Eliot, Maine, presented her research "Drawings of Dreams: The Power of Women's Education in Kakuma, Kenya," at the annual Tanner Conference at Wellesley College.
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Browse this program's Independent Study Projects/Undergraduate Research