Welcome to the Institute of Cultural Affairs in Kenya (ICA Kenya), a registered non-Governmental Organization (NGO) dedicated to empowering communities across Kenya. With a rich history spanning over four decades, ICA Kenya has been at the forefront of social, economic, and political empowerment through our unique participatory approach to community development, known as "Do Our Own Project" (DOOP).
ICA Kenya is a registered NGO with the NGOs Co-ordination Board in Kenya and is a statutory member of ICA International. Its key objective is to empower communities socially, economically, and politically through their participatory approach to community development, known as "Do Our Own Project" (DOOP). By leveraging the knowledge, skills, and experience of local communities, ICA Kenya aims to help create self-confident, self-reliant, and self-sufficient communities that are free from tribal, gender, religious, or cultural biases. ICA Kenya also focuses on embracing diversity in their operations and representation, while practicing integrity, transparency, and accountability both internally and externally. Through its collaboration with other social justice institutions globally, ICA Kenya seeks to amplify their impact and contribute to a more just and equitable society on a global scale.
Our mission is to enable local communities in both rural and urban areas to improve their standard of living through community development. We empower community development in rural and urban areas by equipping local residents with skills that strengthen their ability to direct their own development. We awaken and involve individuals and communities in building their future and promote participatory approaches to deal with the challenges facing individuals, communities, organizations and nations. We aim to establish an environment that contributes to human development and collaborate with other organizations and individuals in the public and private sectors to share information and to improve approaches to development.
In pursuit of this goals ICA currently carries out four community programme pillars in Kenya (all of which are evaluated regularly to ensure quality). Carries out training and facilitation for other organizations and strives to establish and maintain contact with other key players in development.
ICA Kenya believes that positive development will only be achieved when people are involved in determining their needs and the solutions.
Development by the people: A case Study of the work of the Institute of Cultural Affairs in Central Division, Machakos District, Kenya. By Waithira Gikonyo November 1982