AFS Kenya program operated between 1960-63, there was a hiatus in the 1960’s until the program resumed in 1971. The Kenya program was closed down in 1990.
Between 1960 and 1989:
- 271 Kenyan students were hosted in the US on the AFS Year Program.
- 501 US participants were hosted in Kenya
- 195 came to Kenya on the AFS Year Program (1977-1990)
- 306 were hosted on the AFS Summer Program (1974-1987).
AFS Kenya’s history and historic milestones:
- In 1960 Kenya sent its two first Kenya participants to the United States.
- Kenya began receiving U.S. students on the AFS Summer Program in 1974. Seven students from USA were hosted that year.
- Another milestone was in 1977 when Kenya initiated its first Year (School) Program with seven students from USA.
- The Kenya volunteers and government officials have played a significant role in the establishment and running of the program. Mr. Michael Ndungi and Mrs. Susan Wood from Kenya devoted their time to run the programs as volunteers until the centralization of the office with Mr. Sentongo-Kabuka in December of 1973. When the office was opened in Nairobi it was with the assistance of the local volunteers and officials in the Ministry of Education of Kenya.
- AFS Kenya started in 1959 by Lady Susan Wood, wife of Dr. Michael Wood, the founder of the Flying Doctors Service of East Africa. Mrs. Wood was approached by the Ministry of Education and agreed to run AFS. Through Dr. Gikonyo Kiano, Minister for Water Development. Mr. Ndungi was introduced to Mrs. Wood. Michael Ndungi was the first Kenyan student to go on the AFS program to the U.S. in 1960. In 1962 he returned to the U.S. to go to college. At that time Mrs. Wood handed over the program to Mr. Kampwell. After two years in 1963-64 Mr. Kampwell couldn’t find anyone to run the program and the program has been interrupted. For next two years Mr. Ndungi has been convincing the Ministry of Education to re-open the program. AFS New York also pleaded with the Ministry. Finally in 1971 another three students were sent to the U.S., and in 1972 nine students.
- In the 1970’s AFS Kenya and East Africa operations were administed by AFS Regional Office for East Africa, Kenya in Nairobi. Mr. Solomon Sentongo-Kabuka Jr., an AFS Uganda Returnee became the AFS Regional Representative and Head of the AFS Office in 1973. In the late part of the 1970’s the AFS programs have expanded throughout Kenya, the student selection included all the provinces of Kenya. The students hosted in Kenya were placed in the urban and rural families, including such diverse communities as Shimo-la-Tewa and Eldoret, Loitokitok and Shiakago. AFS also opened the program in the Central, Rift Valley, Western, Nyanza and Coast Provinces of Kenya.
- The first Conference of the AFS Society in East Africa was held at the Zambezi Motel, Nakuru/Nairobi Road, Kenya from April 15th to April 17th, 1977. Mr. Solomon Sentongo-Kabuka, Jr. presided at all sessions of the Conference. Also present at the Conference was Mr. John Nyaga,Vice-Chairman of AFS Society and a VIP in the MInistry of Education. at the time
Additional Facts
- The AFS-USA Board included two Board members who went to Kenya—Adrienne E. White and Dr. Jeffrey Schaider.
1975: An AFSer having breakfast in Western Kenya near Lake Victoria
All the AFS students who arrived in Nairobi in 1976 posed in this photo.
AFS staff in the Kenya office in 1981
A Kenyan host family and exchange student
THis 1981 photo shows an AFS staff member and volunteer