NAIROBI: The American Institutes for Research (AIR) has opened a new office in Kenya that will conduct research and provide technical assistance to universities and other organizations in the East Africa region.
On April 29, 2024, AIR staff accompanied by local and regional leaders attended the grand opening ceremony in Nairobi, Kenya. Jessica Heppen, AIR President and CEO said that in East Africa, “there is a growing desire to improve education, health, workforce, and economic opportunities as a way to strengthen communities and improve lives.”
“We are doing more than opening an office today. AIR is making a commitment to be partners with the leaders and citizens of the region to increase opportunities and create a better, more equitable world for all,” Heppen added.
In addition to housing 40 AIR employees, the new office will act as a center for the organization’s ongoing operations in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and other neighboring nations. Supporting and overseeing USAID and UNICEF projects in the area as well as investigating connections between socioeconomic variables and climate change in East Africa are among the tasks included in this endeavour.
In order to guarantee the applicability of American Institutes for Research and technical assistance work and to aid in the education of the upcoming generation of social and behavioral scientists, the Kenya office will also serve as the site of collaborations with local institutions and other organizations.
“The challenges in East Africa are unique and complex and, for that reason, we must work with those that are closest to the problems we are trying to address and understand the needs of those who live and work in these communities,” said Christine Kiecha, managing director of AIR’s Kenya office.
The University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and the University of Nairobi are partners in the AIR Pipeline Partnership Program, which is financed by the AIR Equity Initiative. Its purpose is to educate, train, and mentor students pursuing careers in social and behavioral science.
Additionally, AIR is expanding its research and educational collaborations with Kenyatta University and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology.
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“AIR wants to serve as a catalyst to increase the development and use of timely, relevant evidence and help grow the social and behavioral science fields in East Africa,” said Ashu Handa, an AIR Institute Fellow based in the Kenya office. “We look forward to building on our current partnerships and developing new relationships that will be beneficial in the future.”
About AIR
The American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that was founded in 1946. It carries out behavioral and social scientific research and provides technical support in the fields of health, education, and workforce development both nationally and globally.
The goal of AIR is to produce and apply rigorous evidence that advances a more just and fair world. This objective guides AIR’s work. AIR is based in Arlington, Virginia, and operates offices both domestically and internationally.
