Kenya Trip
Kenya Partnership Visit: Critical Conversations Association
Kenya is standing at a critical juncture. Its population has grown from under 6 million in 1950 to nearly 58 million today, and is projected to reach over 100 million by 2100.
Population is the core social thing now affecting everything, not only in my community, not only in Kenya, but worldwide.
Sam, 25, Peer EducatorKenya Today: The Context
While of course for families each birth is treasured, the growing population is driving significant economic, human and environmental challenges. Youth unemployment is estimated at around 38%, and is hitting rural communities hardest.
Kenya is also experiencing an increase in human-wildlife conflict. Despite being one of the most biodiverse nations on Earth, home to around 25,000 species, escalating climate pressures and land degradation coupled with a growing human population is bringing humans and wildlife into closer contact.
This is resulting in increased conflict, to the extent the government has introduced a compensation scheme for people harmed through wildlife encounters.
The land that we have is very small compared to the population… People are constructing new hotels where the animals used to pass.
Moses David, a workshop participantThe Climate-Population-Wildlife Connection
Research suggests around 25% of young women in Kenya lack access to family planning with factors like age, location and poverty contributing to this unmet need. Abortion is legal in Kenya, but a combination of restrictive laws and social stigma mean many people cannot openly and effectively access it, should they wish.
As the population grows, challenges for space brings humans into closer contact with wildlife. These challenges are then intensified by climate change, creating an escalating cycle whereby wildlife and humans are brought into ever-closer contact, at a detriment to both.
wild animals killed by drought in November 2022 alone — including 93 endangered Maasai giraffes
baboon deaths caused by humans defending crops and property
Kenyans killed, and nearly
injured by wildlife between
species call Kenya home — but escalating climate pressures and land degradation threaten this biodiversity
Children arrive late or leave early to avoid wildlife — some schools forced to shut entirely
drives wildlife into human settlements, escalating crop raiding and conflict
Kenyan Youth Taking the Lead
In response to these interconnected challenges, Critical Conversations Association is pioneering a different approach. They are a grassroots organisation, led by young Kenyans, using art and performance to start conversations about population growth and what this means for environmental sustainability and community wellbeing.
Their model centres on peer education: young people from local communities facilitate 10-day workshops that integrate culturally sensitive messaging with participatory, engaging activities. These peer educators bring lived experience and deep community knowledge, understanding both the challenges their neighbours face and how to approach sensitive conversations with cultural resonance and respect.
[Other organisations] don’t come to our communities… they don’t really reach the most remote community — they don’t get exposed to towns. Because I am trained and I really understand …we have an impact in our community.
Sam, Peer EducatorThrough carefully designed programming, they invite participants to reflect on past patterns and envision how the future could be different — all within the framework of environmental stewardship and informed personal choice.
Before I came to this session, I didn’t have in mind family planning, but I saw it’s very beneficial and changed my mind.
Post-session interview with a Critical Conversations participantWitnessing Impact on the Ground
We’ve partnered with Critical Conversations Association since 2022. Our support focuses on strengthening their community-led model and building evidence of impact.
Members of our team recently travelled to Southern Kenya to observe the program in action. We participated in an abridged workshop, spoke with participants and community members, and met with a village elder who shared his experience supporting a large family — including having to sell cattle and assets to fund his children’s education.
What We Observed
- Participants in the workshops showed measurable shifts in thinking between pre- and post-workshop discussions, particularly regarding their intended family size.
- Following sessions, young people demonstrated an increased awareness of environmental challenges and how population dynamics influence conservation outcomes.
- Knowledge of contraception varied among participants, indicating opportunities for expanded health education in the programme.
- Although everyone we spoke to identified as Christian, religious identity did not emerge as a determining factor in participants’ family planning considerations.
Support Youth-Led Change
Your support helps grassroots organisations like Critical Conversations Association expand their reach, train new peer educators, and build the evidence base for community-led solutions.
What’s Next
Critical Conversations Association demonstrates the power of youth-led, culturally grounded approaches to complex challenges. Their work creates space for communities to explore connections between personal decisions, environmental pressures, and collective wellbeing.
We’ll be continuing our partnership with them, with a particular focus on:
Our grassroots partners are a reminder that sustainable change requires locally rooted leadership paired with rigorous evaluation. The most effective and choice-based solutions emerge from communities themselves and are the ones that honour both community wisdom and evidence-based practice.
