Indigenous Strategy
& Institution for Development
(ISID)

Who we are

Indigenous Strategy and Institution for Development (ISID) was founded in the year 2000 as a Community Based Organization (CBO) by a group of pastoralist elders and elites to deal with multi-dimensional developmental and humanitarian challenges in Northern Kenya.

It later rebranded and registered as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in 2010 to promote homegrown approaches as a foundation of change among indigenous pastoralists and minorities through learning and capacity building processes.

ISID believes in the people, their culture and thus nurtures their inherent capacities to deepen cohesion and facilitate socio-economic development. We promote self-mobilization, self-actions, self-sufficiency and volunteerism in our approaches that puts community-bred solutions, local knowledge and indigenous institutions at the center of resilience building process.

Our Strategic Focus

Mission Statement

To promote homegrown approaches as a foundation for transformative impact across
peoples’ cultures and landscapes.

Vision Statement

We envision robust indigenous communities thriving harmoniously on their natural resource base and cultural diversity

Core Values

  • Participation
  • Partnership
  • Diversity
  • Volunteerism
  • Inclusivity
  • Integrity

What we aim to achieve

Our target communities are largely patriarchal and marginalized – therefore some of the developmental challenges are internal, cultural and historical – emanating from exclusions, inequalities, environmental, eco-cultural degradations, social vices, corruption and fragmentations, conflicts, and disaster and climate change risks. We consider all these as barriers to human rights, ecosystem health and sustainable human development. Therefore;

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Our Programs

We work on all the below within core focus and priority themes of;

Land & Natural Resource
Governance

Communities, Women & Youth Empowerment

Food Security & Livelihood Sovereignty

Research & Knowledge
Management

Volunteerism & Placement
Services

Capacity Building & Organization Development

Target Communities and Target areas

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Get Involved

ISID is a volunteers community that wants to bring positive changes by developing and nurturing a pool of community volunteers, stewards and rights champions. Capacity building is cornerstone to our approaches and a priority theme. We nurture talents, values and grow gifts for humanity and sharing.

If you want to volunteer or donate, please reach us on info@isidafrica.org or mohamed.dida@isidafrica.org for enquiries

Our Partners

ISID is a founder member of PARAN – Pastoralist Alliance for Resilience and Adaptation in Northern Rangelands. We actively engage with the below organizations We actively engage in regional Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA), Climate Justice and Minority, Indigenous People Rights Campaigns, Peer Learning Networks like the Global Alliance for the Future of Food, and International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion (ICJ AO) Initiatives. ISID works closely with locally based groups including Tulla Education Foundation, Initiative for Development in Northern Kenya (IDNK) and Northern Youth Organization (NYO) and Kupielfatu Cultural and Women Group.