Kibwezi & the Makueni District

The Makueni district (population: about 100,000) is centered around the largest village, Kibwezi, which is located 197 km east of Nairobi on the Mombasa-Nairobi highway. Of the 13,252 households in this region, more than 4,500 are female-headed and single-parent. It is a diverse community of Christians, Muslims, and traditionalists.

Erratic climate has created extensive poverty in this primarily agricultural region. Issues of food security, absence of income, malnutrition, and illiteracy are pervasive and inhibit the community's capacity to organize and collectively address their needs or take advantage of potential resources.

The Makueni district is feeling the changes that have accompanied Kenya's technological innovations. Situated along major trade route between Nairobi and Mombasa, it does have access to new resources, including information, goods, commerce, and amenities (i.e., electrical power and telephone access). At the same time, the community requires infrastructure to ensure that the area will benefit and grow desirably from these opportunities.