Between a Loan and a Hard Place: Kenya’s Higher Education Funding Crisis Unpacked
Universities have found themselves in a catch-22 situation, grappling to finance their operations amid mounting pressures. The quagmire is multi-dimensional. The main stakeholders are stretched thin; students are complaining of high fees, university staff are complaining of delayed salaries, and the government is currently questioning its capacity to fund education at the levels it has promised.
Hidden in Plain Sight: East Africa’s Battle Against Non-Communicable Diseases
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) – the chronic health conditions resulting from complex interactions between genetic predisposition, physiological factors, environmental exposures, and behavioral patterns – have emerged as the most pressing public health challenge of the 21st century. While they account for a staggering 71% of all global deaths annually (approximately 41 million lives lost), nowhere is this crisis more acute than in Sub-Saharan Africa, where NCDs are advancing at an alarming rate.
Mwalimu for Hire: The Rise of Private Tutoring in East Africa
Education in East Africa remains a global concern, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic which exacerbated existing challenges, as evidenced by World Bank Group projections that about 66 million children, adolescents, and youth in Sub-Saharan Africa will be out of school by 2030. This alarming statistic underscores the urgent need for comprehensive educational reforms across the region.
The Business of Healing: East Africa’s Untapped Strengths in the Global Medical Market
East African countries face significant challenges in meeting the essential healthcare needs of their growing populations. Traditionally positioned as recipients of healthcare solutions, it is time to shift the narrative toward how the region can actively contribute to the development and expansion of the global healthcare industry.
Dormitories in Distress: Rethinking Discipline, Safety, and Class in East Africa’s Boarding Schools
In February 2025, Kenya’s Ministry of Education ordered the indefinite closure of a boarding sections of 348 primary schools following a string of violent incidents, including a fire allegedly started by students protesting against poor living conditions. The story made national headlines, but for many parents, teachers, and students, it wasn’t surprising.
Left Behind? The Challenges Holding Back East Africa’s Musical Success
African music seems to be taking the world by storm. So far, promises of East African music becoming a powerhouse on the world stage are yet to come to fruition. As Tanzania’s Diamond Platnumz secures his biggest hit in years, Komasava, by tapping into South Africa’s breakout genre, Amapiano, this begs the question – is there room for an authentic East African sound on the global stage?
COVID Five Years On: Evaluating the Response and the Transformations in Healthcare Since the Pandemic
COVID-19, caused by the SARS-Cov-2 virus, emerged as a global pandemic, disrupting societies and economies worldwide. Five years later, East Africa continues to navigate the lasting effects of the crisis, particularly within its healthcare systems. This report evaluates the region’s response, assessing both immediate interventions and long-term transformations.
Fragmented Funds, Untapped Futures: East Africa’s Informal Sector Pension Puzzle
The current pension landscape within East Africa can be akin to a small square blanket during a cold winter night – little coverage and unsatisfactory returns. While formal sector workers can access pension schemes, the vast majority employed in the informal sector are excluded, missing out on the benefits of retirement savings and leaving much of the economy untapped for collective resource pooling.
From Chalkboards to Chatbots: Revolutionising East Africa’s Education Trajectory with Technology
With East Africa's student population projected to grow by 17% in primary schools and 9% in secondary to higher education by 2040, traditional teaching methods may face mounting challenges in delivering effective, personalised learning. Already strained by limited resources, educational systems must now adapt to meet the demands of a growing and increasingly diverse region.
