Our Story

Access & Developments Initiative (ADI) is a Kenya NGO with head office in Nairobi, and sub-offices in Garissa. It was established in March 2008 by a group of Kenyan intellectuals who at that time recognized the need to set up a local Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) to promote the humanitarian relief efforts to help the needy people in North Eastern regions of the country, following the prolong drought and diseases that had the ravaged the region for many years.

The overall goal of ADI Organization is to improve the socio-economic condition of the community through creation of employment generation activities by forming an execution of grass roots level participation in rural/urban community with the assistance of national and international organization.

Our Activities

Water Resources/ Sanitation

ADI works to ensure improved access to safe drinking water to all communities that it works with. 

These are achieved through projects closely designed with the community and that are targeted at the most vulnerable. ADI has been involved in digging pit latrines for local children educational centres in Dadaab refugee camps and nearby environments. In addition, ADI has also constructed handwashing facilities to be used in the same institutions to protect vulnerable children against fecal transmitted infections. 

Livelihood Improvement

In communities affected by natural disasters such as drought flooding, fires etc. ADI helps to economically uplift the situation of those people who have lost their source of livelihood either temporarily or permanently. This is implemented depending on replenishing the previous source of income or if this is no longer feasible another possible alternative. 

This has been implemented through different programs such as livestock restocking, supporting small local businesses, assisting farmers by buying solar powered generators to irrigate their farms and so on.

Health

ADI is at the forefront of organisations working on improvement of access to basic health care services to marginalized and poor communities. Some of the activities that ADI is involved in include provision of basic health services through mobile clinics, conduct or support the implementation of vaccination campaigns, provision of cheap and quality medicine through local partners, support local public healthcare facilities. 

In conjunction with the AIDS and STI district coordinators (Garissa and Fafi) from the Ministry of Health (MOH), ADI conducted a HIV/AIDS Awareness and Prevention to inform local communities on the spread of HIV/AIDS due to the lack of knowledge, stigma to people living with HIV/AIDS and local values. Topics expounded on included; HIV prevention through abstinence, non-penetrative intercourse, prevention of mother to child transmission, premarital testing, and so on.

Human Rights

Access to basic human rights in the communities that ADI works in, is a top priority. 

ADI supports local CBOs that conduct advocacy, support provision of free legal services to minors and other people who cannot afford such services. ADI also involves itself in local human rights related cases. 

Emergency Response – Food Relief

Through different programs and in different periods ADI responded in emergency situations by involving stakeholders and fundraising for people hit by floods, drought & famine, and political refugees. The successful campaign oversaw the distribution of food, cooking oil and other utilities that helped reduce the suffering of the vulnerable. ADI collaborated with the host community, media, together with religious and political leaders to ensure the smooth conveyance of the relief food to the most vulnerable in the community. 

Water Trucking Initiatives – Drought Response

ADI has responded to nomadic pastoralist communities living in arid and semi-desert climates that were severely affected by drought and famine. These communities were trekking tens of kilometres a day in search of water and pasture after prolonged droughts hit. Animals were dying by the hundreds and through support from well-wishers ADI conducted water trucking initiatives from River Tana to these remote areas. In many situations wild animals were also dying and were freely coming into the human settlements in search of water. These included giraffes, gazelles, antelopes, warthogs etc. These communities were instrumental in saving the wild animals too, who they let drink with their animals. 

Education

Through innovative programs ADI supports the education of underdeveloped communities through direct sponsorship of needy students, support local public education programs that provide food for students. Through tertiary education partners, ADI also supports Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), job readiness programs and other vocational trainings to assist individuals acquire skills 

Gender and Environment & Peace Building, Youth Development Initiatives

Through collaborations with the different County Directorates of Education, groups of youth were trained on leadership qualities such as accurate decision making, setting a good example, positivity, responsibility, self-awareness, teamwork, public speaking skills. In addition, the youth were trained on the importance of inclusivity in leadership and as such underrepresented members of the society such as youth, women and the disabled. Finally, the youth were trained on public speaking skills to portray confidence, and body language & engagement with the audience. 

GBV Awareness and Prevention

Due to a growing need and increased Gender based violence (GBV) cases in the Ifo and Hagardera refugee camps, ADI held a short training for women and other vulnerable members of the society to educate them on how to recognize Gender based violence, how it affects the victims and how to counteract it. Women and the other vulnerable members were taught skills on how to prevent GBV, deal with it and report it to the nearest police station or chief.

Democracy/Good Governance Training

With support from one of our funders from the private sector; Midland Energy ltd, ADI oversaw the training of a group of community members on democracy and good governance. This was a continuation of the earlier training on youth leadership. Community members were trained on the practices of good governance and citizen participation as a good indicator of the same. The components of good governance; legitimacy, accountability, competence, respect for law and human rights, were also expounded on.

Our Team

ADI has a highly diverse team of international staff from different backgrounds such as humanitarian, legal, financial, academic, & environmental backgrounds. 

These are supplemented by the efforts of volunteers, student interns and community members who work tirelessly to make an impact on their communities. 

management structure