Konya is the name of village community in West Kenya. The nearest town is Busia, about 20 miles from Konya at the border to Uganda. It takes one and a half hours by car to Mumias in the north, the to closest small town with electricity. In Konya there is no electricity and only one water pump.
Konya is close to Mount Elgon and the river Nzoia. The climate in this region is therefore not only hot but also very humid, the ideal condition for the deadly risk of malaria. The land however is quite fertile. Fruit, maize, sweet potatoes and cassava are grown by small-scale farmers. Some hold goats or cows. But the majority of people in Konya Village have no perspective at all, as they own neither land nor cattle and there is practically no other way of income at hand – hardly any small craftsmen can sustain themselves here. And international companies or hotels are nowhere to be found in this part of Kenya. Poverty and hunger have recently become an even greater problem in the region.
About 7100 people live in Konya Village, most of them as big families in huts. Among them are 60 HIV-orphans, who are totally dependent on the goodwill of the village community. There is a state run primary school that is free for all children to attend – if they have a school uniform. A uniform costs about £5, a price that particularly the orphans cannot pay. The school building itself is very basic. Classrooms are overcrowded and classes are held with hardly any books. Even pens or paper are scarce. The badly needed building for a secondary school has never been finished for lack of funds. And only very few families can afford to send their children on to secondary school or college.
There is a state run primary school that is free for all children to attend – if they have a school uniform. A uniform costs about £6, a price that particularly the orphans cannot pay. The school building itself is very basic. Classrooms are rather crowded and classes are held with hardly any books. Even pens or paper are scarce. Since Hope for Konya started to work with the community we have tried to improve the situation in the school by bringing in books and school material. To enable children in Konya to have further education we built and furnished a secondary school for 100 children (2009).
