Money

Kenya shillings exchange today at a rate of about 80 KSh to 1 U.S. dollar. It will be interesting to adjust to the value as we travel about the country.

The notes come in denominations of 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1000. On the back, lovely scenes of Kenya are depicted. Early bills feature Jomo Kenyata, Kenya’s first president (1963-1978), on the front. According to EyeWitness Travel Kenya (DK, 2009), Kenyatta’s image was replaced by the face of Kenya’s second president, Daniel arap Moi (1978-2001), in 1980. In 2005, the country returned to the use of Kenyatta’s image on the bills.

EyeWitness Travel Kenya offers some facts about the economy that I plan to keep in mind as we take in this experience:

• Agriculture is a major source of revenue with considerable export business in tea, coffee, exotic vegetables, and fresh flowers. (Did you know that Kenya is the world’s largest exporter of roses?)

• Since the 1970’s, tourism has become increasing important to the country’s economy and is now the biggest foreign exchange earner.

• Despite periodic downturns due to the effects of drought, political instability and corruption, Kenya has experienced fairly steady economic growth. Per capita income in Kenya grew at least threefold from 1975 to 2006. The country was removed from the International Monetary Fund’s list of countries requiring debt relief in 2005 and is now considered a self-sufficient developing nation.

I am working, in my own mind, on integrating this information with the images and information in the news of profound poverty in urban areas such as Kiberia in Nairobi and in the more remote rural areas of the country.

Claudia Daggett