RELATED THEMES
conflict
education
health
land

OTHER LOCAL THEMES
agriculture
communications
culture and customs
development
environment
family life
gender
history
identity
livestock
politics
social change
social relationships
spiritual beliefs

BACKGROUND
introducing the area

population

 quotes about population
 key testimonies featuring population

In the past, there was much prestige in having a large family. It was important for a man to pass on the family name, and there was considerable economic advantage in having plenty of family members to help with the cattle and agriculture. Recently, population pressure on the land and the increasing cost of raising children, because of school fees, has brought about a desire for smaller families. However, several narrators point out that family planning is still not widely accepted among the Sabaot. And some narrators believe that the Sabaot population as a whole is still too small, a feeling closely linked to the continuing conflict with the Bukusu and the desire not to be outnumbered. Indeed, one mentions how on several occasions in the past of heightened tension with the Bukusu, Sabaot political leaders "went round telling people that they should marry more than one wife....that we should enlarge our numbers by all means....that we should not practise family planning..."(Kenya 18) .

quotes about population

"Almost all mothers have heard of it [family planning] but most of them despise it because they still believe in giving birth until menopause....to them many children mean wealth."
Lydia, F/24, teacher, Kenya 1

"...if you consider the general population of the Sabaot...I can say that there are still too few of us to think about family planning."
Joseph, M/86, former pastoralist - now a farmer, Kenya 13

key testimonies featuring population


  No.   Name   Sex/Age   Occupation   Location  
Summary Transcript   13   Joseph    Male/86   Former pastoralist – now a farmer     
Summary Transcript   18   Ben   Male/59   local KANU Chairman   Kopsiro