Kanyawegi is a region within Nyanza Province of Western Kenya.  It is located on the shores of Lake Victoria and is comprised of many small rural villages that extent inland. Lakeside villages are based primarily on fishing, while those extending inland rely on subsistence farming. Kanyawegi is inhabited by Luo people, one of the largest tribes of Kenya with a distinct language and culture.

The people of Kanyawegi face many hardships in everyday life, with most living in abject poverty. Despite relative proximity to a large body of water, the lake is ridden with parasites and too far to travel by foot for those living inland, which makes access to clean water and drought severe, reoccurring problems in the area.  Public schools are dilapidated and receive little if any government support.  At some of the schools we have visited, over half of the enrolled students are orphans, while countless children are not able to attend school because of hidden fees, lack of a uniform, or because they are needed at home to run the household. Hunger and nutrient deficiencies are a widespread problem in Kanyawegi, contributing to inadequate physical and mental growth and development in children. Malaria is rampant, yet access to mosquito nets and basic health care are grossly inadequate.

All of these problems and many more are further compounded by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, effectively undermining any attempts of the community to move forward. With an estimated regional prevalence of approximately 25 percent, every household in Kanyawegi has suffered the impact of HIV/AIDS.