Kenya

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If Kenya Were Your Home

Kenya, in eastern Africa, is the size of Texas. With 53 million people, it is the 27th largest country in the world by population, with 4.4 million of its residents living in the capital of Nairboi, where your airplane will most likely have landed. Leaving Nairobi, you travel northwest along the highway, crossing the equator, until you reach Eldama Ravine, the nearest town to EBCCK.

If Kenya were your home instead of The United States you would...

Walindwa's Role in Kenya

Members of the Walindwa Board of Directors have shared a relationship of more than 20 years with child-support ministries in Eldama Ravine, Kenya — a partnership that began long before the names Walindwa or Elma Barnett Children’s Centre existed.

In 2004, Dr. Keith Edwards first traveled to the region with a men’s missionary team from The Village Church in Rancho Santa Fe, California. That visit began a deep and lasting connection.

Interest in the Kenyan ministry soon spread to Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church in San Diego. In 2006, Jill Weller made her first trip to Kenya, followed by a full year serving in-country in 2008.

When Jill returned home and shared her love for the children, she felt called to create a way for others to provide sustained financial support. That vision led to the founding of Walindwa, officially registered as a charitable nonprofit in 2012.

Our Purpose

Walindwa raises funds to support:
-- Child sponsorships
-- Campus improvements
-- Strategic development projects

All programs and projects are defined and administered by the Kenyan Board of Directors of Elma Barnett Children's Centre Kamonong (EBCCK).

Our shared focus is simple and clear:
Provide a safe, Christ-centered environment and quality education for vulnerable children who have exhausted options within their own families.

Many children who come to EBCCK have been:
-- Orphaned
-- Abandoned
-- Living in deep poverty
-- Affected by parental absence, alcoholism, or HIV/AIDS

Without education and a nurturing environment, these children would face a lifetime of poverty and limited opportunity. With support, they gain stability, purpose, and hope.

A Sustainable Future

A transformative step for the campus was the development of Elma Kamonong High School (EKHS).

After completing 9th grade, EBCCK students continue their education at EKHS. The school also enrolls tuition-paying boarding students from other regions who seek a Christ-centered, high-quality education.

The long-term vision of the Walindwa Board of Directors is sustainability:
As tuition income grows, EKHS will increasingly help support the broader EBCCK campus — gradually reducing reliance on U.S.-based donor funding while strengthening local ownership and stability.

Education in Kenya

The Kenyan education system is now guided by the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), which focuses on holistic development and practical skills. Education is divided into:
-- Early Childhood Education (Pre-Primary 1 & 2): Ages 4–5
-- Primary School (Grades 1–6): Foundational education in literacy, numeracy, and life skills
-- Lower Primary (Grades 1–2) and Upper Primary (Grades 3–6)
-- Junior Secondary (Grades 7–9): Builds on primary education, preparing students for national exams
-- Senior Secondary (Grades 10–12): Prepares students for national exams and further education

Primary students attend local schools, and at the end of Grade 6, they sit for national assessments. The results help guide placement into junior and senior secondary schools. Many students may attend boarding schools for secondary education, often away from home.

Post-secondary education includes higher education, vocational training, or other programs that equip students with skills for employment and self-sufficiency.

The brightest students, who perform well in national exams, may pursue university and could potentially receive scholarships. Other students typically attend local colleges or technical schools. All post-secondary options require covering tuition, as well as food and housing costs. After high school, students often take a gap year, living with their families while awaiting exam results and considering options that match their interests, abilities, and financial resources.

Since the construction of Elma Kamonong High School (EKHS), all high school students from EBCCK attend EKHS, living in the school dormitories alongside students enrolled from outside the Centre.

In Kenya, school costs—from tuition to uniforms and supplies—often prevent children from continuing their education. Walindwa’s sponsorship program ensures these children can stay in school and pursue a brighter future.

History of Kenya

Kenya, located in Eastern Africa, has been home to humans since the Lower Paleolithic period, with early inhabitants leaving archaeological evidence of long-established settlement. Arab traders and a Swahili coastal culture were present along the Indian Ocean coast from the Early Modern Period. European exploration into the interior began in the 19th century as imperial ambitions expanded. In 1895, the British Empire established the East Africa Protectorate, which in 1920 became the Kenya Colony. Kenya gained full independence on December 12, 1963, becoming the Republic of Kenya, with Jomo Kenyatta as its first President. After his death in 1978, Daniel arap Moi led the country until 2002, followed by subsequent multi-party democratic administrations.

A pivotal development in Kenya’s colonial history was the construction, beginning in 1895, of the Uganda Railway - a major rail link from Mombasa to Kisumu on Lake Victoria, completed in the early 20th century. This railway dramatically transformed the interior by facilitating movement of people, goods, and services, and was a central force in modern economic development.

Kenya’s population is exceptionally diverse, reflecting a multitude of ethnic, linguistic, and cultural groups. The major ethnic classifications include Bantu, Nilotic, and Afro-asiatic (Cushitic) peoples. According to the most recent estimates, Kenya’s total population is approximately 55.7 - 58 million people in 2025 - 2026, with a median age of about 20 years.

Ethnicity & Languages

-- The largest ethnic group is the Kikuyu, accounting for roughly 17.1% of the population. Other major groups include the Luhya (~14.3%), Kalenjin (~13.4%), Luo (~10.7%), Kamba (~9.8%), Somali (~5.8%), Kisii (~5.7%), Mijikenda (~5.2%), Meru (~4.2%), and Maasai (~2.5%). Smaller groups include the Turkana and other indigenous communities.

-- Kenya recognizes English and Kiswahili as official languages, but there are over 60 indigenous languages spoken across the country, reflecting its rich cultural mosaic.

Religion

-- Christianity is the predominant faith, with around 85 - 86% of Kenyans identifying as Christian (including Protestant, Catholic, Evangelical and African Instituted Churches). Today, the main Christian denominations in Kenya are Protestant confessions, they include the Anglican Church of Kenya, Africa Inland Church, Full Gospel Churches of Kenya, and the Presbyterian, Reformed, Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran, Salvation Army, and Pentecostal churches. Kenya has by far the highest number of Quakers of any country in the world, with around 119,285 members. The Roman Catholic Church makes up 20.6% of the population, about 9.7 million Kenyans.

-- Islam is the second largest religion at around 10.9%, mostly among communities along the coast and in the northeast.

-- Small minorities practice traditional faiths, other religions, or identify as non-religious.

Demographic Trends

-- Kenya's life expectancy at birth has improved significantly in recent decades. Estimates for 2025 indicate an average life expectancy of about 68 years, reflecting gains in public health and medical access.

-- Urbanization continues to grow, with roughly 32 - 33% of the population living in urban areas.

-- Infant mortality rate dropped markedly from ~53/1,000 to ~28/1,000, and life expectancy increased about +3 - 5 years overall.

Across its history, Kenya has blended long-standing indigenous cultures with external influences - from coastal trade to European colonization - shaping a nation that remains dynamic, youthful, and culturally rich.