Registration of CIVS

CIVS was registered in 1997 as a Kenya-based non-profit agency that offers innovative and competent support services to empower communities and organizations. Our efforts aim at stimulating self-development initiatives among the disadvantaged, especially women, as well as developing harmonious relations among people of different backgrounds and cultures.

Community Training

Community leaders training on leadership skills, resource mobilization, and potential exploitation, design and management of community projects, and rights of community members including children. Clients: Kenya Episcopal Conference - Catholic Secretariat, Women, and Gender program.

Training of women and youth groups on small business start-ups and management. Clients: CIVS supports women’s and youth groups in Kisumu, Machakos, Makueni and Kirinyaga.

First Workcamp

CIVS held its first Workcamp hosted by Uvaini Women Group located in Machakos district of Kenya. Since then, we have been holding monthly Workcamps. For more information about our current Workcamps please visit the Workcamps page on our website.

First Long-Term-Volunteer Projects

CIVS offered its first Mid and Long-Term volunteer projects. Since then we have deployed over 1,700 volunteers from all over the world in different projects, like Orphanages, Schools, Microfinance, Environmental Conservation, Agricultural Training & Conservation and Arts. For more information about our current projects please visit the Mid & Long-Term Project page of our website.

“Bengi Investment Group” (BIG)

Supporting organizations to establish and run community banks - “Bengi Investment Group” (BIG). Clients: Women Concern Kenya (WCK) of Garissa, Kikozi Program of Lamu, Catholic Diocese of Homa Bay, and RECA of Kisumu.

Rehabilitation of Street Children

Sustainable rehabilitation and reintegration of street children through the minimalist approach to microfinance and enterprise development as they relate to family level poverty alleviation as a strategy for street children rehabilitation. Clients: Undugu Society of Kenya and UNESCO.

Consultancy

CBO capacity assessment with a focus on children's concerns. Client: PLAN Eastern.

Microfinance in Kisumu

CIVS started its Microfinance branch in Kisumu. In collaboration with the poorest members of a community, a village bank is implemented in order to reduce their level of dependence on others. Today the Microfinance activities run independently from CIVS. 

Community Development in Nyanza

Child-focused preparation of Community Development Plans in Nyanza, Kisumu, Kiambu, and Thika. Livelihood issues were tackled. Client: PLAN Central.

Technical Assistance and Training

CIVS started designing and delivering technical assistance and training in 2001. We offer these activities 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

SAIDIA

Designing a business development services program for Samburu District; assessing IGAs, conducting a feasibility study, holding stakeholders’ workshops, and conducting community and staff training on managing “Bengi Investment Group” (BIG) community banks and setting up of community banks in Lesirikan and Ngilai in Samburu District. Client: Samburu Aid In Africa (SAIDIA).

Setting up Community Banks

Setting up and building the capacity of regional capital funds (Community Banks), carrying out an appraisal, among slum dwellers in Kisumu, Nakuru, Nairobi, Athi River, and Mombasa. Clients: Pamoja Trust, Slum Dwellers Federation.

OVC-Support in Kano Plains

CIVS started its own Community Development Projects in Kano Plains supporting the orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) through increasing household incomes of the local people, many of them being caregivers to the high number of HIV/AIDS orphans in this area. For more information please visit the Capacity Building page on our website.

Garissa Youth Project

Development, implementation, and management of the Garissa Youth Project, a youth education project for 800 out-of-school youth. Clients: USAID and EDC (Educational Development Center).

Emergency Relief

CIVS provided Emergency Food Relief and Livelihood Support to over 1,500 drought-affected people in Ahero.

Ahero Resource Center

CIVS launched the Ahero Resource Center - a One-Stop-Shop for the local community offering services in Microfinance, Capacity Building, Water & Sanitation as well as supporting school-going Orphans and Vulnerable Children and their caregivers.

Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE)

CIVS launches an early childhood development kindergarten/School support program to promote children's development in the field of cognitive, social, and physical learning. This program supports poor families who are unable to provide their children with early childhood education. Located on the secure grounds of Ahero Resource Centre, CIVS offers free early childhood education to orphans and vulnerable children from the Ahero region.

Ahero ICT Resource Centre; Awach and Awasi Resource Centers

CIVS together with its partners launches Ahero ICT Resource Centre aimed at empowering the rural youth and the vulnerable in the community to have increased ICT access, knowledge, and employability. The project aims at training 750 youths on entrepreneurship, community leadership, job hunting, the internet, and office skills by the year 2020. CIVS together with its partners establishes Awach and Awasi Resource Centers aimed at empowering the rural youth and the vulnerable in the Awach and Awasi areas. These are One-Stop-Shop for the community offering services in Microfinance, Capacity Building, Water & Sanitation as well as supporting school-going Orphans and Vulnerable Children and their caregivers.

Emergency Response Program - COVID 19

CIVS distributed food and non-food essentials to vulnerable communities in the Kano Plains to respond to the negative impact of Covid 19 pandemic which among others, resulted to loss of jobs leading to economic constrain in various communities during nationwide lockdown. The program had over 600 beneficiaries.

Locust Invasion Control

The desert locust invasion destroyed dozens of farm produce in Western Kenya. As an approach to reduce the effects of the epidemic and restore agriculture, CIVS Kenya distributed food items like rice and cowpeas seeds to the affected communities across Kano Plains. It also offered free training on the best farming practices of the crops that reached over 400 beneficiaries.

Cassava Project

CIVS in collaboration with its partners initiated a project that promotes cassava as a value chain crop in Kisumu County with the aimed to economically empower and train over 1250 stakeholders on best farming practice of the value chain crop to boost agriculture, agro-business and maximize food security among communities affected by drought and hunger in Kano Plains.

Disability Project

With an objective to maximize inclusivity especially among People Living with Disabilities in our pilot areas, CIVS with support of its partners initiated a disability facility which is up to standards with basic available resources to accommodate and facilitate programs that are specially designed to engage the physically challenged in all matters revolving around community development. The project focuses on socio-economic empowerment of the marginalized group through various related mentorships and capacity building trainings with an aim to achieve a non-prejudice and active community engagement of all stakeholders.