Purpose: 10% Social: 10% Financial: 8% Community: 16% Physical: 16%
QUALITY OF LIFE IN KENYA: Kenya’s economic slowdown notwithstanding, the country’s status as the economic hub of Eastern Africa makes residents’ low level of financial well-being somewhat surprising. A high degree of income inequality helps explain these results; residents who have benefited from the country’s growth and development enough to secure office jobs are much less likely than those in non-office jobs to be suffering in this element — 39% vs. 65%, respectively. Kenyans are somewhat less likely than sub-Saharan Africans overall to be thriving in purpose well-being (10% vs. 15%, respectively). In this element also, there are significant differences between Kenyans in office jobs, 15% of whom are thriving, and those with non-office jobs, at 8% thriving. About one in six Kenyans (16%) are thriving in community well-being. Employed Kenyans are about twice as likely to be thriving in this element as those who are not employed (20% vs. 11%), likely reflecting the relationship between community satisfaction and perceived job opportunities. Finally, just 16% of Kenyans are thriving in physical well-being, somewhat below the regional figure of 20%. (Source: Gallup-Healthways 2014 State of Global Wellbeing Report)
