Malindi, Kenya
Main Religion in the region: Islam
Economy in the region: Tourism and fishing. In the interior, the locals practice small- scale farming where they grow coconut palm, cassava and cashew nuts.
Malindi is in the Coastal region of Kenya, in a county called Kilifi county. The Kilifi county region has a population of about 1.2 million people. Our area of focus, Malindi, has a population of about 250,000 people. About 48% of the population is male while 52% is female. More than 60% of the population in Malindi are youth of 25 years of age and under.
More than 50% of this youth population has an 8th grade or lower level of education. Most of the youth, especially girls, drop out from school to help support their families. Early marriages are common in these communities. Drug use and addiction, drugs peddling and prostitution are some of the greatest challenges in this region.
Malindi hosts churches of different denominations. More than 80% of the pastors in this region do not have a theological degree. Many of them did not graduate from high school. Majority of these same pastors work as casual laborers at different tourist hotels and resorts and some of them work as fishermen. Because of high poverty levels in this region, many churches are not able to give their pastors a stipend, let alone a salary. Lack of theological understanding in this region has resulted in poor understanding of who they are in Christ and because right understanding leads to right living, there is need to help them have that right understanding from the bible.