Our History
Founded in 1998 and registered in 2001 as Pact Kenya, and later rebranded as Act Change Transform (Act!) in 2011, Act! has made remarkable strides in the development sector in Kenya and in the neighbouring countries. This evidenced by its history of 2001 to 2006, when Act! was a key player in supporting civil society engagement in the Sudan Comprehensive Peace Agreement process that culminated in the independence vote and eventual separation of South Sudan from Sudan in 2010.
Almost 22 years on, Act! is one of the leading Kenyan, non-profit, non-governmental organization. Presently, Act! has solid institutional, financial and governance systems that meet international standards as demonstrated in various management and financial audits.
Our programs are in three strategic focus areas:
(1). Sustainable Environment and Natural Resources Management,
(2). Democracy, Governance and Human Rights, and
(3). Peace Building and Conflict Transformation.
We invest heavily in building the organizational capacity of our partners who include Community Based Organizations (CBOs), Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and government agencies to better equip the public and private sector and enable them deliver better quality services efficiently and effectively. In our two decades history, Act! has provided Capacity Development support to over 400 CSOs across all the 47 counties of Kenya and with several dozens of CSOs in east Africa.
In reference to our new Strategic Plan, Act! over the next five (5) years – 2020 – 2024, we will focus on the above thematic areas while placing emphasis on the promotion of Adaptive Learning, Resilience and Civil Society Sustainability.
Our organizational values and aspirations underpin every aspect of our work, ensuring that we approach developmental challenges facing Kenyans with commitment, fairness, flexibility and above all with integrity. In living true to our Vision and Mission, we are guided by the following four practical values:
- Humanity:We passionately support communities’ quest to attain full potential and dignity.
- Justice: We promote impartial access to human rights, resources and opportunities.
- Flexibility: We consistently adapt our engagements to the unique contexts of our constituents.
- Integrity: We commit ourselves to the highest standards of honesty, prudency and uprightness.
- Progressive: We are committed to excellence, professional rigour and continuous improvement.
Philosophy: Act! understands that all human beings are entitled to dignified life. We further believe that people can sustainably free themselves from exclusion and indignity if effectively facilitated. We therefore invest in empowering people, strengthening service delivery systems, and influencing policy and practice as assured ways of accelerating and sustaining human and ecological wellbeing.
