A Day at the US Embassy

Friday we went to the US Embassy which was a great experience and something different to break up being in the slum. It was a 'Town Hall Meeting' to discuss foreign policy, terrorism and security concerns. After the 1998 bombing of the former U.S. embassy in the city centre of Nairobi, the embassy was moved to the outskirts of the city. They defiantly did not let cameras in to or near the Embassy. The Ambassador, Michael Ranneberger, was very welcoming and tried to address every concern of the American people. Here are some things that we learned while we were there. $500 million will be given to Kenya in 2008 through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) making Kenya the second largest PEPFAR recipient. $20 million will be given to Kenya in 2008 through the President’s Malaria Initiative. Despite the U.S. travel warning still in place for Kenya, American tourism to Kenya is booming. By the end of 2007, 100,000 American will have visited Kenya. Only the U.K. sends more of its citizens to Kenya than the U.S. And $1.5 billion comes from the U.S. (through official government donations, non-profits, private donors, etc.), which accounts for 16% of Kenya’s gross domestic product. To say the least we have a huge footprint on this country every year. This gave me perspective on how we spend money here compared with other places all around the planet. Also on the efficiency of our money spent and the good that it does. Our money in Kenya is something to be proud of and something to push for more. More than ever I understand to need to invest in developing countries for education, sustainable projects, and perspective.