SIT Kenya: Health and Community Development

Kenya is home to more than 40 ethnic groups, each retaining a strong sense of cultural identity. 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.

Nairobi, Program Base
A cosmopolitan city of nearly 3 million people, Nairobi offers more in the way of urban attractions than any other city in the region. For example, it has a wider variety of restaurants than many American cities of equal size. Many students are pleasantly surprised by Nairobi and all it has to offer; roughly one-third of them elect to do their ISPs in the city each semester. Nairobi is an ideal base for this program because the city offers much in the way of resources for academic pursuits. A large number of relief, development, and political organizations have headquarters, regional headquarters, or branch offices in Nairobi. Three of Kenya's universities are in Nairobi, and students have access to scholars, researchers, and experts in just about any relevant field. Students may also take advantage of libraries at the University of Nairobi, the World Bank, and at the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP).

Compare Across East Africa
Coursework during the development and health seminar focuses not only on Kenya, but on East Africa more broadly. Students also have the opportunity to travel to Uganda and/or Tanzania on this program, where they can appreciate the similarities and the difference between communities and cultures in the region.



Study Swahili
Swahili study allows students to connect more deeply and quickly with their homestay families and community, making the language component a highlight of the semester. During field assignments and the ISP, students apply their learning. Many students return from the program quite pleased with their progress.

Pursue a Particular Interest
This program is well-suited for students interested in such fields as public health, development studies, and the social sciences. The seminar component has included such topics as "Traditional and Western Medical Systems," "Maasai Aesthetics and Body Adornment," "Theories of Development," and "The United Nations and Non-Government Organizations," among many others. The excursions are flexible enough in structure to allow each student to focus on his or her particular intellectual or academic interest.

Independent Study Project
Students spend four weeks near the end of the semester working on an Independent Study Project (ISP) in which they conduct primary research on a selected topic. The ISP is conducted in Nairobi or in another approved location in Kenya appropriate to the project.