Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa. Lying along the Indian Ocean to its southeast and at the equator, it is bordered by Somalia to the northeast, Ethiopia to the north, Sudan to the northwest, Uganda to the west and Tanzania to the south. Lake Victoria is situated to the southwest and is shared with Uganda and Tanzania. The country is named after Mount Kenya, a significant landmark and second among Africa’s highest mountain peaks. A major African nation, Kenya is classified as a developing and sometimes an emerging African nation. The founding president and liberation struggle icon Jomo Kenyatta led Kenya from independence in 1963 until his death in 1978.

Kenya’s climate varies from tropical along the coast to temperate inland to arid in the north and northeast parts of the country. The country receives a great deal of sunshine all the year round, and summer clothes are worn throughout the year. It is usually cool at night and early in the morning. The "long rains" season occurs from March/April to May/June. The "short rains" season occurs from October to November/December. The hottest period is from February to March and the coldest is in July and August. Temperature can range from as low as 9.5 °C in the hilly areas to as high as 35 °C in the dry north plain lands. The country's geography is as diverse as its people. It has a long coastline along the Indian Ocean and as you advance inland the landscape changes to savannah grasslands, arid and semi-arid bushes. The central regions and the western parts have forests and mountains while the northern regions are near desert landscapes.

Kenya is the world’s 47th largest country. The population of the country is estimated at about 41 million inhabitants. Estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected. Kenya is ranked as the 11th country with the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence and 5th in the number of people living with HIV/AIDS. Over 70% are Christians and about 10% Muslims and others of indigenous beliefs. English and Swahili are the official languages but there are other numerous indigenous languages spoken all over the country.

Kenya is diverse in culture. The Maasai culture is well known due to tourism. They are renowned for their elaborate upper body adornment and jewelery. Kenyan dishes are mostly prepared from their staples which include maize, cassava, beans, sweet potatoes and tropical fruits and vegetables.

Kenya is endowed with natural resources which include limestone, soda ash, salt, gemstones, zinc, diatomite, gypsum, and wildlife. Agriculture is the second largest contributor to Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product after the service sector. The Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa

With its capital city in Nairobi, Kenya has numerous wildlife parks and reserves containing thousands of animal species. Kenya has considerable land area of wildlife habitat, including the Tsavo National Park and Masai Mara National Reserve, where Blue wildebeests participate in a large scale annual migration. The “Big five” animals of Africa can all be found in Kenya and in the Masai Mara in particular: the lion, leopard, buffalo, rhinoceros and elephant. A significant population of other wild animals, reptiles and birds can be found in the national parks and game reserves in the country. Glaciers are found on Mount Kenya, whose unique geography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value.

There is a high prevalence of diseases such as malaria, typhoid fever and diarrhea. A doctor to patient ratio far below the World Health Organization global standard pegged at 1:5,000 also affects the delivery of good health care to the people of Kenya. This is a good reason to volunteer to help provide health care to deprived and less privileged communities in Kenya. The population is hugely affected by the struggles of HIV/AIDS with over 1.5 million people in the country living with the disease. In spite of efforts aimed at preventing the spread of this devastating disease, the rate of HIV infection is still rising, leaving many children orphaned. Since these orphaned and abandoned children cannot care for themselves they need us to provide for them so that they can hope for a better future. There is however limited funding for orphanages and donations from charitable organizations and philanthropists are not enough to employ enough workers at the homes. That is why we need your support as a volunteer to help keep the homes running. A good proportion of Kenya’s wildlife is confined to the parks and reserves. This is a unique opportunity to get involved in vital conservation and wildlife research. With the introduction of free primary education, enrolment in this sector has increased significantly, thereby requiring more teachers in the country. Your help as a volunteer in teaching is also required.