Flourishing and Resilient Communities- October Edition

October 2024 Newsletter

Dear Friends and Partners,

Greetings from the Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF).

KCDF is a?public charitable foundation founded in 1997 to?support?sustainable community-driven development in Kenya. We exist?to support communities and duty-bearers to sustainably organise and address systemic barriers that perpetuate power imbalances, social injustice and poverty hindering sustainable development.

Through this newsletter, we share with you?highlights of our work in community development?or the past month.

In this edition, we highlight?an amazing story from Kwale County, where our partner G for Girls Initiative,?employing the local resource mobilisation skills gained from KCDF’s Change the Game Academy, are resolving?long-time recorded high rates of teenage pregnancies, school dropouts, and child abuse in their county.

We also share with you an update on our latest efforts towards supporting?community projects, specifically, the launch of the Ngaira Epicare Clinic at Ngaira Rhodes Dispensary in Starehe Sub-County, Nairobi, which will?ensure that individuals living with epilepsy?receive comprehensive care and treatment, along with guidance on managing this neurological disorder.

There is more to discover in the updates on?various engagements we have been involved in, all towards championing?community-led development in our region.

We invite you to read on and get a comprehensive outlook of our work with our communities.

Thank you for your continuous support and cooperation. I wish you a successful month ahead.

Grace Maingi, Executive Director, KCDF.

COMMUNITY IMPACT DIARIES

A RISING COMMUNITY STAR:?THE INSPIRING STORY OF G FOR GIRLS INITIATIVE

G for Girls?initiative based in Vanga Ward, Lunga Lunga Sub-County in Kwale County was established in October 2021 as a community-based organisation to tackle the challenges that girls and women face in the locality. Lunga Lunga Constituency has for a long time recorded high rates of teenage pregnancies, school dropouts, and child abuse.

The women-led institution, who are KCDF partners,?sought to resolve this by establishing a?safe space for young girls to receive mentorship and support towards?their education, with an aim of raising community leaders who are agents of sustainable change.

For sustainable impact achievement, G for Girls have been employing the local resource mobilisation skills that they gained from KCDF’s Change the Game Academy which they participated in, in 2023.

“The training allowed me to join a community of practice, which has been a tremendous resource. Collaborating with like-minded organisations has not only enhanced our collective capacity but has also fostered a supportive environment where we share knowledge and?resources without the burden of additional costs. For example, when newer organisations need capacity assessments and training, we can help collectively, rather than seeking external, paid experts. The Kwale Community of Practice (CoP) has allowed me to lead and serve as the Secretary general.”?Priscah retorted.

Read more HERE.

ENHANCING ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE: EPILEPSY CARE CENTRE LAUNCH

On October 29, 2024, the Kenya Association for the Welfare of People with Epilepsy (KAWE) launched the Ngaira Epicare Clinic at Ngaira Rhodes Dispensary in Starehe Sub-County, Nairobi County, with support from KCDF and the Nairobi City County Government, a center that will enhance healthcare accessibility for people with epilepsy.

The project was supported by KCDF under the Pamoja for Change program, where KAWE was granted KES 2,000,000, and they raised another 2,000,000 for implementation. The initiative involved a unique approach to address the space barrier by repurposing a 40-foot container into four functional rooms: a pharmacy, a registration/triage area, and two consultation rooms dedicated to an Epilepsy and Mental Health Clinic. This innovative setup is expected to serve approximately 200 patients, enhancing healthcare accessibility for people with epilepsy. ?

KAWE has also focused on building the capacity of health workers across the county, and this project is a significant step toward creating a sustainable solution, especially as awareness efforts increase demand for these vital services.

Read more HERE.

PREPARATION FOR THE JOB MARKET:

MY YOUNG EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS TRAINING JOURNEY

The Young Employability Skills Programme, a KCDF initiative, aims to promote the holistic development of youth pursuing tertiary education by training them in financial literacy, sexual and reproductive health, work readiness, and visioning.

Netwon Nyabuto Matogo, a graduate student from Maseno University and a beneficiary of this programme, shares his story on how the training has been an eyeopener and equipped him. He says he is now equipped with the relevant skills needed to maneuver through his career path, preparing him for the job market.

Watch his story?HERE .

UNPACKING WHAT A COMMUNITY FOUNDATION IS:

VIDEO OF THE MONTH?

A community foundation is a nonprofit organization that provides a vehicle for charitable giving, focusing on supporting local needs and initiatives. It pools contributions from individuals, families, and businesses to create a fund that addresses various community issues, such as education, health, arts, and social services.

Through the Strengthening Community Foundations Programme supported by the Mott Foundation , KCDF is supporting and strengthening already existing organisations?to enable them to steer development within the communities they serve. In this month, we feature the inspiring story of the Kilimani Project Foundation.

Watch the full video HERE .?

GIVING FOR CHANGE PROGRAMME WORK IN KISUMU

On October 7, 2024, KCDF and?the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands conducted a community projects tour in Kisumu County to engage the community partners and get a first-hand experience of the various initiatives and projects being implemented?under the Giving for Change Programme.

The visit took place at Step Up Together Organisation (SUTO) and Tinada Youth Action Africa, both of which are implementing advocacy programmes funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs through Wilde Ganzen.

Among the delegates present during the visit were Iris Loonen the First Secretary for Political Affairs & Press, Johnstone Kuya the Senior Policy Officer for Strategic Partnerships, Zo? Jurrema, Grace Maingi, KCDF’s Executive Director and Hellen Kuria, KCDF’s Programme Coordinator for Community Voice & Philanthropy.

Read the full report?HERE.

BUILDING COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS IN KENYA

On Monday, October 14th, 2024, KCDF hosted a delegation from the Mott Foundation to discuss our ongoing collaboration, focusing on documenting impactful stories in community philanthropy. Mott Foundation has partnered with KCDF to strengthen existing community organisations to become community foundations.

The team also visited the?Kilimani Project Foundation , one of our partners implementing the Strengthening the Community Foundation Movement as a Basis for Sustainable Development in Kenya project, supported by the Mott Foundation.

Read more HERE.

STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

On Tuesday, October 8, 2024, KCDF welcomed a delegation from the Ford Foundation to reflect on our longstanding?partnership, which began in 1996. As KCDF's inaugural major funder, the Ford Foundation has been instrumental in driving impactful developmental initiatives over the years.

From 1996 to 2010, the Ford Foundation provided KCDF with an Institutional Building Grant, which laid the groundwork for many of our initiatives. They also helped establish our Endowment Fund and supported the Institutional Strengthening and Sustainability Program to ensure the growth of this fund.

Additionally, the Ford Foundation launched the inaugural Education Scholarship Fund during its 40th-anniversary celebration, further cementing its commitment to empowering communities.

This meeting provided an opportunity for the two partners to reflect on our journey and find more areas of collaboration and partnership towards community development.??

Read more HERE.

TOWARDS A BETTER WORKING ENVIRONMENT FOR CSOs IN KENYA

On October 24, 2024, the Public Benefit Organisation Regulatory Authority (PBORA)?with support from?USAID Kenya , KCDF, and?UNDP Kenya , convened a consultative working group meeting to discuss the regulations of the Public Benefits Organisation Act. The meeting brought together representatives from 35 civil society organizations (CSOs) ahead of the upcoming co-creation workshops scheduled for October 30, 2024.

Grace Maingi, Executive Director of KCDF, commended the CSOs’ collective effort and noted that the operationalisation of the Act represents a significant milestone. She highlighted the potential for CSOs to generate income and emphasized KCDF’s partnership with USAID in promoting awareness of the Act and its regulations across the Kenyan civil society landscape.

Read the full story?HERE.

Further, on 30 October 2024, KCDF participated in a PBO Act co-creation workshop?hosted by the Public Benefit Organizations Regulatory Authority (PBORA)?with the support of USAID, KCDF, and UNDP. The workshop's?aim was to establish a solid foundation for the successful implementation of the Public Benefit Organization.?

The workshop developed an action plan for the?successful implementation of the PBO Act, with clear roles and responsibilities for all stakeholders involved. Strategies for promoting collaboration and partnerships between the PBOs and government agencies were vividly discussed.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Lindon Nicholas, Acting Director General of PBORA, stated that the authority is focused on fully operationalizing the PBO Act while keeping the process transparent and participatory. ?He noted that the workshop is essential?in bringing everyone on board to realize the Act’s original vision. Mr. Lindon underlined PBORA’s goal to complete the transition by May 15, 2025, aligning all stakeholders under the new framework.

Read the full story?HERE.

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