Florence Sipalla

Introduction Civil Registration and Vital Statistics are key for a country’s planning and the distribution of resources and services. Birth certificates are essential to access government services in most countries. About 92 per cent of births in Kenya are registered, as outlined in the Kenya Vital Statistics Report, 2021. Children who do not have birth certificates may be disadvantaged in accessing government services, including healthcare through the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).

Summary Reading about the Peninah Bahati Kitsao, the widow who was boiling stones to feed her eight hungry children reminded me of Kurt’s musings. Before her neighbours came to her rescue on hearing the cries of the children, like Kurt, Kitsao was wondering how she could turn what was around her into food. Advertisement By FLORENCE SIPALLA “I wonder how grass tastes like” is a statement that those who, like me, grew up watching The Sound of Music might remember.