CARE International’s history in Kenya
CARE has worked in Kenya since 1968, initially helping to address poverty, food insecurity, and humanitarian needs linked to drought and vulnerability. Early efforts focused on life-saving assistance, including food aid, nutrition support, and basic community services.
Over time, CARE’s work expanded from emergency aid to long-term development programs that address the root causes of poverty and inequality.
Today, CARE Kenya is Kenyan-governed and Kenyan-led, operating in 20 of the country’s 47 counties and reaching approximately one million people each year.
CARE and partners’ work in Kenya today
CARE Kenya works with partners across the country to support communities facing poverty, food insecurity, and recurring humanitarian crises. By 2030, CARE Kenya aims to support 5.5 million people, most of them women and girls, to overcome poverty and social injustice. Our work focuses:
Gender equality
CARE works to strengthen women’s leadership and participation in decision-making. Programs also support sexual and reproductive health services and help prevent and respond to violence against women and girls.
Food and water
We support communities and small-scale producers to improve food production, dietary diversity, and access to water. Programs also help families strengthen their ability to cope with economic crises and climate-related impacts – whether natural disasters or connected to climate change.
Making the economy work
CARE works with women to strengthen livelihoods and expand economic opportunities through markets, finance, and skills development.
Crisis response
We provide life-saving aid in areas affected by drought, displacement, and conflict. Programs include cash assistance and support for communities preparing for and recovering from crises.
Across all areas, CARE works in close partnership with local and national civil society organizations, women-led groups, government institutions, and private sector partners.
Focus on women and girls
Women and girls are at the centre of CARE Kenya’s work. They are often the most affected by poverty, hunger, humanitarian crises, and climate impacts.
CARE Kenya works closely with women-led and women’s rights organizations and grassroots groups to strengthen leadership, advocacy and community action. These partners include: CREAW, CRAWN Trust, Uraia Trust, and the Urgent Action Fund.
CARE supports women and girls to:
- Strengthen their leadership and voice in decision-making spaces
- Access sexual and reproductive health services and livelihood opportunities
- Prevent and respond to violence against women and girls
- Build economic opportunities through markets, finance, and livelihoods that can resist to climate change impacts
- Lead humanitarian response through approaches such as Women Lead in Emergencies
For more recent updates on CARE Kenya, see here.
