Over 50 years of research improving lives in Kenya
We are a global research organization committed to improving the wellbeing of people in the poorest, most marginalized communities of the world.
A global organization with deep Kenyan roots
Population Council is an international, nonprofit, nongovernmental organization established in 1952 and headquartered in New York. Our Kenya office, one of the oldest in Africa, has been conducting research and delivering programs since 1972.
We work across reproductive health, gender and youth, HIV and AIDS, and poverty and livelihoods — producing evidence that shapes national policy and directly improving lives in communities across Kenya's 47 counties.
Our Nairobi office employs over 80 Kenyan researchers, program officers, and operations staff. We are registered under Kenya's Non-Governmental Organizations Coordination Act and work in close partnership with the Government of Kenya, county governments, and local civil society.
What guides our work
Evidence-Based
Every program we design and every policy we advocate is grounded in rigorous, peer-reviewed research.
Community-Centered
We co-design interventions with the communities we serve, ensuring relevance, trust, and local ownership.
Equity-Focused
We prioritize the most marginalized populations — adolescent girls, rural women, ASAL communities — who are too often left behind.
Accountable
We hold ourselves to the highest standards of research ethics, financial stewardship, and programmatic integrity.
Five decades of milestones
Kenya Office Established
Population Council opens its Kenya office, one of the first in sub-Saharan Africa, to address rapid population growth and reproductive health needs.
First National Family Planning Survey
Partners with the Government of Kenya to conduct the first nationally representative contraceptive prevalence survey, informing Kenya's first FP policy.
HIV Research Expanded
Launches multi-site HIV prevention research across Lake Victoria region, establishing Kenya as a hub for biomedical HIV prevention trials.
AGEP Launched in Samburu
The Adolescent Girls Empowerment Program begins in Samburu County, pioneering a holistic, asset-based approach to girls' empowerment in ASAL regions.
DREAMS Partnership Begins
Joins the DREAMS initiative to reduce HIV among adolescent girls and young women in high-burden Kenyan counties.
Urban Health Expansion
Scales urban reproductive health programming to all major Nairobi informal settlements through the Afya Jijini USAID partnership.
50+ Years of Impact
Marks five decades of evidence generation and program implementation across Kenya, with 340+ publications and programs reaching millions.
Kenya Leadership
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"Rooted in Nairobi, reaching every corner of Kenya — and contributing to global knowledge."
Population Council Kenya, General Accident House, Ralph Bunche Road, NairobiGovernance
Population Council Kenya is governed by the global Population Council Board of Trustees, a distinguished body of international leaders in public health, economics, demography, and philanthropy. The Kenya office operates under the oversight of the Africa Regional Director, based in Nairobi.
We are registered with the NGO Coordination Board of Kenya, accredited by USAID, and compliant with all applicable Kenya Revenue Authority and Employment Act requirements.