Rieko Kenya

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4.6

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1

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14

Years in business

We are committed to building sustainable solutions and alleviating poverty in the Nyatike Region. Our projects operate in the realms of Health, Environment, and Education
Who We Are 
We are a registered NGO located in Migori County, in Western Kenya. Rieko Kenya first began as a Community Based Organization in 2007, founded by Edward Kabaka. Edward was born and raised in the Nyatike Region, with a vision for his family and community to have a better upbringing than ...

Review Description

Who We Are 
We are a registered NGO located in Migori County, in Western Kenya. Rieko Kenya first began as a Community Based Organization in 2007, founded by Edward Kabaka. Edward was born and raised in the Nyatike Region, with a vision for his family and community to have a better upbringing than the one he had. Orphaned at a young age, Edward was left to raise his own money for his school fees and bring up his siblings, by working at the local gold mines and doing other odd jobs. As his passion for community development grew, so too did Rieko Kenya. Rieko Kenya attained NGO status in 2010, and grew to have an international advisory board with diverse expertise. We work with local and international volunteers to serve the community here, working towards sustainable development. Through this growth, Edward's and Rieko's belief has remained the same- empower communities to become self-reliant, aid will not save!

Where We Work 

All of our projects currently take place in Migori County, Kenya. Located in the former Nyanza Province, Migori County borders Homa Bay in the North, Kisii and Narok to the East, Tanzania in the South and Lake Victoria to the West. The region around Lake Victoria has a high population prevalence of HIV/AIDS, and Migori County has one of the lowest education rates in the country. Our programs work in tandem to improve the quality of life for the local populace in multiple regions of Migori County. 

What We Do

Our goal is to alleviate poverty and to amplify the voice of the disadvantaged and “poor” communities in Kenya. We work to inform people of their rights and to improve their living conditions through focusing on three pillars: Health, Education and Environment.

Health

Rieko Kenya has a community driven approach in everything it does, particularly where healthcare is concerned.  We work on creating awareness within the rural villages regarding diseases such as HIV/AIDS, for which organise counselling and free testing on a regular basis, as well as Malaria, for which we train community health workers, enabling them to diagnose malaria at the household level and provide treatment (rapid diagnostic tests). Reiko Kenya aims to empower women on multiple levels, it has worked on an anti-FGM program alongside other local organisations, as well as advocating for women so that they can battle gender based violence, own property and take control over their lives (‘access, control and ownership’). We support public litigations on cases where women’s rights have been compromised. Rieko also educates youth on sexual health and reproductive rights alongside international organisations. We have been advocating for the right of disabled people (government policy), making them aware of their rights, such as the right to receiving government benefits and creating awareness around accessibility issues.

Education

Rieko Kenya has built a school for orphans and vulnerable children (Kids for Peace) and it has also expanded a local high school. Rieko’s education program goes further than just supporting schools – we aim to provide whole communities with the education to build sustainable futures. The Kids for Peace school offers equal access to education for orphans and vulnerable children, we support them logistically through providing food, healthcare, to protect their rights as an orphan. We also support vocational training and skills development for youth and provide adult education on specific topics.

Environment            

Our third pillar, environment, includes agriculture, sanitation, providing access to clean water. It was chosen because the natural environment plays a big role on the health and welfare of people, as a source of income and food.  The rural poor communities entirely depend on the land to provide them with enough food to feed their families throughout the year and enough money so that they can afford medical care, clothing and shelter.

-        Access to clean water

-        Sanitation, defecation-free zones

-        Green environment / The natural environment plays a big role on the health and welfare of people, as a source of income and food.

-        Conservation through planting trees


Our History

Rieko Kenya was first founded as a CBO in 2007 by Edward Kabaka, and later became an accredited NGO in 2010. Our work to date has included HIV/AIDS education, outreach and testing, malarial outreach environmental conservation and education, and the support of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). As we expand, we seek to scale up these ongoing initiatives. 

Our Mission, Vision, and Goals

Our mission is to amplify the voice of those disadvantaged in Kenya, and alleviate poverty in Migori County. Our vision is for a world free from poverty, hunger, and social injustice. Our projects in each of our core pillars of work to support the overall goal of improving the quality of life in Migori County, and eradicating poverty locally. 

Who Are We Looking For?

We are looking for enthusiastic, self-directed volunteers with a passion for community development and an interest in learning from the local population. We welcome people from a variety of backgrounds and with diverse expertise to come work with us. If you have expertise in a specific area you would like to contribute, we are happy to give you free reign to design and implement a program of your choice. If you'd like more support from us, we are also happy to assist you with local training and our own expertise. Either way, we look forward to hearing from you and discussing our common interests. 

Why Choose Us?

One of our core principles is sustainable development, and focusing on empowering communities to be self-reliant in the long-term. We take an asset-based approach to development, and aim to build off existing community strengths in all of our projects. We are passionate about social justice and ensuring the community is aware of their human rights. If this interests you, we are confident you will have a great experience here in Western Kenya. We believe in fostering mutual learning between local and international volunteers, Rieko and international partners. Our previous volunteers have found this model to provide an enriching experience, and we have been happy to welcome several of our volunteers back more than once. Karibu sana! 


Contact Person

Rieko Admin

Spoken languages: English

Rieko Kenya reviews

Nabeela rating4.6

2017 at Health Intern

I volunteered with Rieko Kenya during the last summer of my undergraduate degree, with a group of 5 other students from my university. While in Mikei, we worked with the community to deliver sexual health outreach programs to the local high schools. Through this experience, I learned a lot about ...