Center for International Voluntary Service

About Us

CIVS is a non profit agency formed in 1993 based in Kenya that offers innovative and competent support services to empower communities and organizations aimed at stimulating self-development initiatives among the disadvantaged; especially women as well as developing harmonious relations among people of different backgrounds and cultures.

Our activities include deployment of over 400 volunteers from all over the world to work with local communities on a variety of more than 12 projects annually.

Our first workcamp was held in July 1994 at Misyani small home located in Machakos district of Kenya. Since then we have been holding a monthly workcamps and also medium term projects.
From the year 2000 we started microfinance projects where we adopt a methodology called Bengi Investment Group (BIG). This is a methodology where CIVS in collaboration with the poorest members of communities through their own initiatives and ideas start a village bank in order to reduce their level of dependence on others.

Since the year 2001 CIVS started designing and delivering technical assistance and training to a cross-section of organizations involved in community development, enterprise development and microfinance in order to strengthen their capacities for improved service quality, greater efficiency, effectiveness, and enhanced community livelihood security.