Community Development

CEDRED has participated in improving the capacity of women groups to enhance their savings and investment portfolios. CEDRED has also imparted skills in various local groups on financial management and book keeping. Using volunteers from schools and universities CEDRED has provided adult education to various members of these organizations to improve their capacity to access funds, understand their rights as well as linking them to potential partners. CEDRED has also helped them to develop brochures, bulletins and newsletters which make their work known.

CEDRED participated in the identification of hotspots in the 2013 elections in Kenya. CEDRED provided civic education as well as awareness in voter education to various parts of the country. The civic education was provided to women groups, welfare groups and various grass root organization in promotion of democracy. Since 2013 CEDRED has participated in voter education activities and advocacy and the rights of the voter. CEDRED played an important role in Kenya’s 2017 general elections. Election monitoring and maintenance of peace and security has been part of CEDRED’s work. CEDRED has involved volunteer monitors and observers in the last two election cycles in Kenya. CEDRED is aware of the important role that election plays in providing good leaders hence regards elections as one of its important activities. Our reports have been consumed by government agencies, NGOs, academic researchers, donor partners and development activists internally and externally.

CEDRED realizes the importance that community development holds in ensuring equity and egalitarianism in national development. CEDRED has heavily invested in provisions of skills and training to community leaders from various levels. Through donor support and volunteers CEDRED has conducted training at the 47 counties in which training manuals, brochures and Power Point Slides have been shared out. We have participated in the orientation programmes for Members of County Assemblies as well as informal and non-formal groups. At CEDRED we are aware that many local NGOs, CBOs and grass root organizations lack capacity building in many areas hence require help in mitigating against some of the challenges that they face. We have mounted demonstration projects in at least four counties where we participate in planning and monitoring of clean water supply by helping communities to initiate and maintain water sources such as wells and bore holes. Our main concern is ensuring provision of clean water to all end users.

CEDRED has conducted various clinics in many parts of Kenya. Teaching and sharing information on leadership qualities that is necessary for positive development. We have conducted sensitization workshops with various county governments in which good practices in governance have been identified and shared out. CEDRED is in the process of identifying various partners and donor that will assist in our capacity building to reach more groups and places. CEDRED in partnership with the International Peace Support Training Center (IPSTC) and the UN Women have partnered in training grass root and community leaders in northern Kenya, at the Coast and other parts of the country by imparting women leaders with leadership skills in areas of finance, drought monitoring, crime reporting, Rights of the girl child, gender equity, egalitarianism, intelligence collection, creating partnerships that work as well as utilizing resources in a transparent manner. CEDRED has conducted workshops in peace and conflict issues in various parts of the country in collaboration with various security committees.