ORGANIZATION PROFILE
Centre for Women and Youth Development (CWYD) started as a Community Based organization known as Ebenezen Women Group (EWG) in Shinyalu constituency in Western Kenya in 2002. The group’s activities grew in scope and in February 2005 the CBO changed status and was registered as a National NGO. The organization’s activities as a CBO and later as an NGO activities revolves around poverty reduction through gender mainstreamed projects.
Project Areas
The current core project areas include but not limited to the expansive Kibera Slums in Nairobi District, Homa Bay, Rongo and Suba Districts in Nyanza province in Kenya. The organization has learned valuable lessons and developed very important linkages with the communities and institutions engaged in improvement of livelihoods of the poor people in Kenya.
Vision
Self reliant communities where women, youth, children and men, through sustained holistic empowerment, have equal opportunities in accessing services, leadership and decision making.
Mission
To create and strengthen infrastructures that support positive development for t he poor and needy women and men in Kenya thus making them realize their potential and improving their livelihoods.
Ambition
To be an organization of excellence in the provision of holistic and quality services and support to the poor communities through training, empowerment, promotion of good and gender streamlined governance and technological advances and innovations.
PROGRAMMES
1. Water and Environmental Sanitation
The programme includes projects in rural water supply and sanitation (RWSS), urban water supply and sanitation, and water resources management by communities with emphasis on women participation. The aim of this programme is to improve living standard especially of women through the provision of better access to clean water and sanitation facilities for people living in rural communities in the CWYD project areas.
2. Governance and gender mainstreaming
Women’s equal dignity and human rights as full human beings are enshrined in the basic instruments of today’s international community development. The organization is committed to work in partnership with all other and programmes, governments, regional organizations, academic institutions, individuals and the NGO community, but most especially with women throughout the communities to promote and protect women’s rights and to translate these rights into a better quality of life for all.
3. Natural Resource Management and Agricultural Biodiversity
CWYD works closely with the national and local governments, NGOs and communities, providing recommendations on policy issues, conducting demonstration models and organizing training programs in the area of integrated natural resource management such as Management of Wetlands and forestation in Support of Livelihoods. CWYD implement programmes through provision of its expertise and resources to the rural agricultural communities to ensure that farmers have the information and tools needed to preserve biodiversity.
4. HIVIAIDS Programme
The human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is emerging as a key cross- sectoral issue for CWYD- supported projects in Kenya. CWYD implements preventive programmes through initiatives that build on a powerful community- based movement bridging HIV/AIDS, human rights, and struggle for social and economic justice.
METHODOLOGIES
i. Use of participatory project approaches.
ii. Addressing global development priorities.
iii. Promotion of inter- sectoral partnership.
iv. Networking and information sharing.
v. Understanding and influencing people.
vi. Adoption of holistic approaches.
CWYD’s existence, growth, uniqueness and practices rest on three key fundamental principles:
Synergistic project management
A synergistic approach by CWYD recognizes all project elements’ strengths/weaknesses hence the facilitation and supporting concurrent and complementing actions to counterbalance the weaknesses of any part at any time throughout the systems development. This improves the organization effectiveness.
CWYD
P.O. Box 6018, 00200— City Square
Nairobi, Kenya.