| dc.description.abstract | The Institute for Development Studies (IDS), University of Nairobi, has been
engaged in a study to document the size, structure and scope of the Non-
Profit Sector in Kenya. The project was undertaken under the auspices of the
Johns Hopkins Comparative Non-Profit Sector Project of the Centre for Civil
Society Studies (CCSS) at the Johns Hopkins University. This was carried out
with funding from the Ford Foundation, East African Regional Office, and
the Aga Khan Foundation. ••
Although findings of the study have been disseminated through several
forums and publications, the IDS, with the assistance of the Aga Khan
Development Network (AKDN), has found it worthwhile to produce a
publication to inform the general public, policy makers, donors,
development practitioners and other stakeholders about the structure, scope,
size and financing of the sector in Kenya. The IDS hopes that this will serve
as an important reference point for studies on the sector in Kenya. These
findings, thus, provide an important entry point to a full understanding of
the sector in Kenya, and further form an important base document for others
wishing to study the sector.
In Kenya, the last four decades have witnessed significant changes in the
development space. The state occupied much of the development space in
the 1960s and 1970s; the state was the main engine of development. Public
enterprises led in providing social development. This changed from the early
1980s in tandem with declining capacity of the state to support social
development. Introduction of Structural Adjustment Programmes further
weakened the developmental state. Subsequent rolling back of the state
under neo-liberal policies occasioned a proliferation of organised voluntary
Preface
non-profit organisations. Private non-profit organisations such as NGOs and
Self-Help Community Based Groups, among others, evolved to assist in the
delivery of social services.
Despite this growth in number and activities, the non-profit sector has
remained dimly understood. The sector has remained invisible to policy
makers, the media and academics in Kenya. Interestingly, not even
practitioners of development have a full understanding of the sectors' size
and scope. On the whole, there have been no systematic studies on the
capabilities of the sector or even on the basic features of the sector.
Furthermore, there is not much knowledge about the sector's contribution to
the national development process. It is this gap that has all along pushed the
IDS to study and contribute knowledge in this area.
Overall, the IDS gratefully acknowledges financial support by the Aga Khan
Development Network in supporting updating of the data on which this
publication is based. We are grateful to Richard Holloway (Civil Society
Director, Aga Khan Development Network) and Grace Birabwa Isharaza (the
Aga Khan Foundation - East Africa) for their advice and efforts in seeing us
through the task of producing this publication.
Finally, the IDS would like to specially thank two scholars who have been
involved in coordinating this project and producing this publication - Dr
Karuti Kanyinga and Prof. Winnie Mitullah. Without their efforts, it would
have been difficult to reach the end. To man others who contributed in
many ways, we say 'asante sana'.
Professor Mohamud Jama
Director, Institute for Development Studies | en |
