Who we are
Pamoja CBO is a grassroots organization with a core focus on humanity, committed to elevating the quality of life for communities in Kisumu, Kenya. Our dedication revolves around empowering communities to acquire the skills needed for self-driven, positive transformations. By creating, supporting, and implementing service-oriented initiatives and programs, we strive to impact those in society who need them the most.
Our Core Competencies
- Community mobilization and sensitization
- Community participation and engagement
- Community interventions
Our Guiding Principles
- Gender: Pamoja CBO is committed to addressing the inequalities and harmful norms that put both men and women at risk of disease, poor health and violence.
- Capacity Building: Pamoja CBO will focus on engaging in activities and capacity-building efforts that encourage financial independence and leadership. We focus on developing, supporting, and sustaining the stakeholder capabilities that exist.
- Long-term sustainability: Providing skills and knowledge for our target populations to enhance their agency.
- Evidence-based Interventions: Interventions will be aligned and directly respond to the needs of target populations in Western Kenya
Our Mission
Pamoja is a community-based organization in Western Kenya that exists to empower communities to identify and address the most significant needs affecting their health and well-being.
Our Vision
Creating healthy, happy and able communities in Western Kenya.
Our Objectives
Enhance the capacity of communities to:
- Assess their strengths, capabilities and resources
- Assess and prioritize their needs
- Leverage additional resources to meet their needs
- Plan, implement and evaluate interventions
- Strengthen community leadership
Our History
Founded in 2007, Pamoja, meaning “together” in Swahili, emerged with the purpose of uniting community groups and providing support to uplift the local community. The genesis of Pamoja CBO stems from the collective observations of individuals engaged in frequent rock climbing activities in the Kit Mikayi area of Western Kenya. With diverse backgrounds in health and development work, our team noted the challenges faced by community members in meeting fundamental needs for their families, including access to safe drinking water, a nutritious diet, sanitation, and education.
What became evident was the collaborative spirit within the community, with various groups actively contributing to positive change. Our team witnessed activities including a youth group integrating HIV prevention through a soccer club, a community-run pharmacy, and a widow’s group providing support to orphans. Despite these efforts, a notable trend was the isolation of many groups from one another, overlapping activities, a lack of training to optimize impact, and insufficient resources to establish projects deemed essential.
Recognizing these gaps, Pamoja CBO was established to bridge these disparities, fostering cohesion among community groups, and providing the necessary resources and training to enhance the effectiveness of community initiatives, creating lasting, impactful change.
Over the years, we have successfully expanded our funding and outreach capabilities, enabling the implementation of PEPFAR DREAMS and OVC Programs across numerous safe spaces in Kisumu and North Seme Sub-county by delivering health promotion, sexual health education, financial capabilities initiatives, and many other program supports. Pamoja CBO also collaborates with Plan International to implement the She Leads program and is actively involved in addressing gender-based violence cases in the community, offering counseling, and facilitating linkages to necessary health services.
In 2023, Pamoja established the Kit Mikayi Technical Institute, providing diverse classes and trade skills to community members interested in personal and professional development. Finally, our Youth Center in Holo serves as a hub for educational and creative activities, engaging children and adolescents in constructive endeavors. These initiatives collectively reflect our commitment to fostering positive change and holistic development within the communities we serve.
