About Us

Our Background & History

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 socioeconomic development. We promote self-mobilization, selfactions, self-sufficiency and volunteerism in our approaches that puts community-bred solutions, local knowledge and indigenous institutions at the center of development and resilience building process.

ISID works with marginalised and minority communities in Marsabit and Isiolo Counties in Northern Kenya. We have operational field offices in Moyale Town, from where we engage with communities and link them to development and humanitarian partners, research institutions and government services.

Our targets, beneficiaries and operation locations of our NGO

ISID works directly with marginalised and minority communities in Marsabit and Isiolo Counties in Northern Kenya.

Our target population includes ethnic minorities, women, children, youth, people with disabilities, displaced or deprived and socially excluded vulnerable and most at-risk groups and their formal and informal groupings, associations, networks and movements.

We also work directly with PLDs and their groups and leaders. ISID work with local communities to identify, assess and facilitate people living with physical disabilities and link them to assistance such as give a hand-give hope initiative. This assistance has changed the lives for most people and families who have benefited from this assistance which is given free of charge

We have operational field offices in Moyale Town, from where we engage with communities and link them to development and humanitarian partners, research institutions and government services.

We work closely with all communities, their networks, movements and partners to promote inclusive process that contribute to a fair, just and sustainable living for disadvantaged people and local communities.

We build enduring partnerships and create spaces and platforms for mutual engagements, self-expressions, consultations, dialogues for inclusion and diversity. We are embedded in community settings to help them lead from the front, voice and pursue their aspirations, realise their potentials and protect collective rights

Management and Governance

Board Of Directors
ISID has a 6-member functional board of directors, headed by the Board Chair.
The CEO is the legal holder and secretary to the board.

Mrs. Faith Magadi

Board Chairperson

Faith is a humanitarian and development professional with 11 years of experience working in Kenya, Uganda, Somalia, South Sudan and various other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. She brings a resourceful and practical management style and proven proficiency in emergency response programs, resilience-building, disaster risk management, project management, capacity building, and people management in both urban and rural contexts. Her strengths lie in working with communities and governments in disaster resilience programming, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) interventions and Participatory Disaster Risk Assessments (PDRA). Over the course of her career, Ms. Magadi has developed and implemented projects in WASH, Food security, Livelihoods, Governance and disaster resilience. Faith has a Master of Arts in Development Studies and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and Public Administration. She is a wife and a mother. Outside of work, she enjoys reading and playing lawn tennis. Currently, Faith leads the Compassion International global Disaster Resilience Advisory Team dedicated to program quality and support of Disaster Response and Disaster Resilience activities, including shelter and infrastructure. She and her team develop guidelines, interventions and resources, lead a Community of Practice, and provide support, advising and training to National Offices on matters disasters.
Board Member

Ms. Madina Duba Guyo
Board Member

Hawo Mohamed Olo
Board Member

Dr. Mussadiq Mir
Mr. Mohamed Lochigan
Board Member

Mr. Mohamed Lochigan

Board Member

Ms. Madina Duba Guyo

Ms. Madina Duba is an educationist with 19 years’ teaching experience at primary and secondary school levels and currently working with Ministry of Education as Assistant Director of Education. She is also a trainer/facilitator on child-centered and gender-responsive teaching and learning environments. She is a leader of a local women advocacy group. Madina holds a Bachelor of Education degree from University of Nairobi [2009].

Board Member

Hawo Mohamed Olo

Hawo Mohamed Olo is an indigenous women leader, cultural ambassador, peace and women rights champion. She began her career with World Vision Kenya, gaining unparalleled experience in the community development space, while also establishing herself as a respected community leader. Currently working at The BOMA Project – Kenya and widely known for her leadership, organization and mobilization expertise in her community.

Hawo is also chairperson at Kupi Elfatu Women Cultural Group and plays a major role in promoting cultural diversity and women empowerment. Through her commitment to this role, she has helped to improve women participation in decision making at all levels. She is also a member of Golbo Peace Initiative Organization – a CBO committed to inform, educate and empower the community of Golbo.

As Board Member, Hawo represents local communities at grassroots especially the vulnerable and marginalized groups as she works with and coaches many women and youth groups and associations in her community. She holds a diploma in community development from the Nairobi Institute of Business Studies. She has organized various cultural events to promote peace and cohesion among pastoralist and minority communities in Marsabit County.

Board Member

Dr. Mussadiq Mir

Dr. Mussadiq Ahmed Mir is an accomplished professional medical doctor with over 30 years of medical practise, community service and volunteer experience. He is a member of Nairobi Utumishi Rotary Club for over 24 years where he has worked alongside other leaders and problem-solvers in promoting various projects in health, literacy, peace, water and sanitation across Kenya. At the Rotary Club, he was in charge of the LN-4 Prosthetic Hand Project. This project is about attaching prosthetic hand to amputees. He initiated and contributed a lot to Gift of Life International Project in Kenya titled “Healing Little Hearts” – treating children with congenital heart diseases and Project I-Read to improve literacy, performance levels in many rural schools in Kenya.

He has received appreciation and excellence awards from the President and from District Governor, District 9200 – Rotary international in 2009 and Nairobi Utumishi Rotary Club in 2006. He holds a medical degree from Kalinin State Medical Institute, Russia. He is currently the Senior House Officer at Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, Department of Medicine – Outreach Services.

Mr. Mohamed Lochigan

Board Member

Mr. Mohamed Lochigan

Mr. Lochigan is a pioneer cultural and rangeland conservationist and community development worker. He was the first executive director, founder member and patron of Samburu Aid In Africa – an international NGO – and a board member of many local community organizations and schools. He is a respected Samburu elder and peace maker. He has a lot of experience in networking and resource mobilization for community development initiatives. He is also philanthropic, having supported education of many pastoralist youths. He is a practicing pastoralist and has also established several primary/catchment livestock markets to support livestock producers get value for their money.

Management Staff/Volunteers

Chief Executive Officer

Eng. Hussein Arero Jirma
Director of programs and partnership

Mr. Mohamed Dida
Program Officer

Mr. Mohamed Kanu Galgalo
Project Officer

Mrs. Rahma Dawe Ali
Volunteer Driver and Logistics Assistant

Mr. Ibrahim Kalicha Guyo

Chief Executive Officer

Eng. Hussein Arero Jirma

Eng. Jirma, has over 26 years’ experience working with the government and international humanitarian organizations. He is experienced in Disaster Risk Reduction, Drought Risk Management programming and coordination at community, national and regional level. Experienced in policy, regulatory, planning, financing, contract management and O&M of rural and complex urban water and sanitation services at senior management level and inter-agency coordination for WASH and pro-poor project in both rural and urban set up.

He also has regional experience and expertise as a trainer on DRR/CCA/Social Protection, humanitarian response, drought early warning and contingency planning, shock responsive social protection. He holds a BSc Civil Engineering degree from the University of Nairobi (1994) and MSc in Water and Environmental Management from Loughborough University WEDC, UK (2008). He is the founder of ISID and the current Executive Director.

Director of programs and partnership

Mr. Mohamed Dida

Dida has over 15 years of uninterrupted management and professional working experience in Northern Kenya in the field of Disaster Risk Management and International Development & Humanitarian Assistance in the Horn of Africa with expert experience in Kenya, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Somalia.

He has worked in ActionAid Kenya and Catholic Organization for Relief and Development (Cordaid) at Senior Management levels. Mohamed Dida holds a Bachelor of Environmental Studies (Planning & Management) Degree from Kenyatta University (1998) and is currently a Master of Arts (Advanced Disaster Management) final year student. He is also an alumnus of Galillee International Management Institute-Israel. He is a resilience and capacity building specialist and has led many capacity building initiatives across not for profit and government sectors in organizational development, integrated disaster risk management, advocacy and policy influencing, participatory monitoring and evaluation methodologies. He has developed and implemented food and livelihood security programs and provides technical supports in this field.

Program Officer

Mr. Mohamed Kanu Galgalo

Mr. Mohamed Kanu is a son of a pastoralist from the Borana community living in Moyale town, Marsabit County. He graduated from the University of Eldoret with a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science. In addition, he is a registered Environmental Impact Assessment and Audit (EIA/EA) associate expert. He previously worked as an intern at National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. He also worked with IMPACT Trust Kenya as community research fellow in 2021. Mr. Mohamed joined ISID in February, 2020 as a volunteer Program Officer. He is passionate about environmental conservation and working with pastoral community in Northern Kenya. He has over 2 years’ experience working towards strengthening the resilience of communities in Northern Kenya and amplifying the voices of the vulnerable members of the community through programs, different thematic areas and research.

Project Officer

Mrs. Rahma Dawe Ali

Mrs. Dawe Rahma Ali is resident of Marsabit County and a graduate from South Eastern Kenya University (SEKU) with Bachelor of Science in Range Management. Her career started at the Kenya Wildlife Service project office (AFD), Marsabit where she worked as research assistant, before joining County government of Marsabit, Moyale sub-County livestock office as Livestock production officer for a period of two years. She joined ISID in March, 2022 as a volunteer and currently works as project officer responsible also for gender mainstreaming and integration.

Volunteer Driver and Logistics Assistant

Mr. Ibrahim Kalicha Guyo

Mr. Ibrahim Kalicha is a competent driver with over 7 years of experience. He received his driver’s license for BCE class in 2015. In his early years he worked as a long-distance driver for public service vehicles operating between Marsabit and Moyale. He later worked as a casual driver in the Ministry of Transport Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development under the Mechanical and Transport department. Mr. Ibrahim also obtained the certificate of suitability test in driving and basic mechanical knowledge from the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure in 2019 before joining ISID in 2020 as a volunteer driver.