Africa’s Kenya has received billions of dollars in humanitarian aid from international donors as well as local philanthropists. With the USA having been the country’s main foreign donor for years, the suspension of foreign aid for 90 days recently announced by President Donald Trump has raised concerns about the impact of this decision on Kenya’s health programs.
As of 24 January 2025, Kenya had secured US$359.2 million in humanitarian aid for 2024. While this figure is lower than the US$440.5 million received in 2023, it still represents a significant financial contribution aiming to address some of the country’s most pressing humanitarian challenges.
Of the US$359.2 million received in humanitarian aid, US$182.4 million (50.8%) was allocated through coordinated humanitarian response plans while US$176.8 million (49.2%) was directed toward other humanitarian activities outside these coordinated efforts.
Key donors
The total funds include contributions from international organizations, governmental agencies, and private donors.
According to data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the United States government was the largest donor, contributing US$207 million, or 58.8% of the total donations.
This was followed by the United Kingdom, with US$44 million, and South Korea, with US$16 million. Private donations from organizations and individuals totaled US$5 million, while all other funding sources amounted to US$28 million.
The largest recipients
UN agencies were among the largest recipients of funding, with the World Food Programme receiving the most, US$165.1 million, roughly 46% of the total.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees followed with US$51.6 million to address refugee needs, particularly in the northeastern and coastal regions, which are home to significant numbers of refugees from neighboring countries such as Somalia and South Sudan.
In addition, the United Nations Children’s Fund received approximately US$28.4 million toward child welfare, focusing on nutrition, health, and education programs, while the International Labour Organization received US$10.5 million.
The NGOs to receive the most funding in Kenya include BOMA, with US$10.3 million, followed by Concern Worldwide and Save the Children, both at US$9.0 million. The International Rescue Committee secured US$6.9 million, while the Rural Agency for Community Development and Assistance received US$5.3 million.
Sectors benefiting the most
The largest allocation was channeled towards food security which received 44.2% of total funding. This emphasis was largely due to severe drought that has been described as the worst in 40 years which significantly impacted agricultural production and food availability.
Health received 5.3%, education 3.2%, and agriculture 0.8% of the total funding. The water and sanitation sector was allocated 3.9%, while early recovery efforts received 5.9%. A substantial portion, 15.3%, went to multisectoral efforts.
Local philanthropy and Kenyan contributions
In addition to international support, local philanthropy also plays a significant role in addressing Kenya’s humanitarian needs. According to the State of Philanthropy in Kenya 2023 report, Kenyans contributed over US$1.3 billion to humanitarian causes between 2022 and 2023. The largest share of these donations went to sectors such as education, health, environment, water and sanitation, and agriculture.
U.S. executive order on foreign aid and its potential impact
An executive order announced by US President Donald Trump on 20th January 2025 suspended U.S. foreign aid for 90 days which has raised concerns about the potential consequences for Kenya’s health programs.
See also: Supporting US organizations: 90 days of free access to tenders and grants
The United States has been pivotal in Kenya’s health sector through initiatives such as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief which, since its inception in 2003, has invested over US$8 billion in HIV/AIDS-related programs in Kenya.
In addition, USAID has been instrumental in achieving an impressive 85% success rate for TB treatment in Kenya.
The U.S. is also the largest donor to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria and provided Kenya with US$407 million in 2024 alone.
The temporary funding freeze could disrupt ongoing initiatives, delay access to life-saving medication, and hinder progress in addressing HIV/AIDS, TB, and immunization efforts, experts have noted.
