PhD Student Studies Food Insecurity and Mental Health in Kenya

By Andi Anderson

Charles Opondo, a PhD student in epidemiology at Indiana University, is researching two big challenges facing poor families in Western Kenya—food insecurity and mental health. His study focuses on a microfinance farming program that aims to improve both issues through community support.

Opondo’s research falls under social epidemiology, which studies how society and its systems impact people’s health. His work looks at a community microfinance program in Kenya, where participants pool their money to fund small kitchen gardens and buy supplies.

These gardens help families grow food year-round, reducing hunger and improving mental well-being.

Instead of using existing government data, Opondo had to collect his own information by visiting the communities and speaking directly with participants. Thanks to the IU Global Pre-Dissertation Grant, he could travel to Kenya, meet with his research team, and gather important data for his doctoral work.

Opondo’s project is part of his wider goal to study poverty-reducing programs based on agriculture. He believes that programs like microfinance farming can help low-income countries deal with poverty, hunger, and mental health struggles without needing expensive solutions.

With the success of his early research, Opondo returned to Kenya under the IU Primary Partner Grant to continue his study. Although the farming program has been running for eight years, no one had studied its health effects. His research will examine if the program improves diets and reduces depression rates among participants. 

Opondo hopes his findings will shape better health and economic policies in poor regions around the world, including places like rural Indiana. His research also builds strong partnerships in Kenya, setting the stage for more long-term studies in social epidemiology.

With guidance from his advisors and a clear research plan, Opondo’s work is making a real difference. His study may provide a model for other communities facing similar challenges, showing how simple farming projects can improve both health and livelihoods.

Photo Credit: pexels-julia-m-cameron