Community Initiative Support Services (CISS), headquartered in Kisumu, Kenya, is a community-focused organization that seeks to explore and develop innovative frameworks based on its experiences to attain sustainable development.
Registered in 1992 and working closely with Government and the community, CISS runs diverse evidence-based community empowerment programs across 3 Counties and has over 28 years’ experience. CISS’s organizational strategy 2016 – 2020 is cognizant of the critical role in the promotion of participatory community initiatives through strengthening capacities in the realization of global sustainable development goals, agenda 2030.
It is on this basis that CISS proposes an innovative community empowerment challenge to empower community members and youth using an integrated rights-based approach in Health, Education, Economic Empowerment and Leadership and Governance.
CISS is in partnership with Bread for the World, with whose support on several projects have been implemented from. In April 2020, FOSEMA Project was initiated, and is designed to help farmers in Nyanza Region (Seme, Gem, Alego and Rachuonyo East) address some of the constraints they face in farming venture to attain food security with the development goal being to enhance sustainable livelihoods for the people of the target areas in Siaya, Kisumu and Homa Bay Counties.
The guiding principles of CISS include:
- Gender equity
- People centered development
- Equitable access to resources and services
- Capacity building
- Commitment to integrity, honesty, self-respect and human dignity
VISION
“A Just and Healthy Society.” Some challenges of development in our region are the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, poverty, and lack of resources to address major problems. The political leadership in certain cases establishes development agendas selectively and thereby cause imbalances in service delivery. Justice and equitable distribution of services and resources remain at the core of CISS operations.
MISSION
To promote participatory community initiatives through strengthening capacities for sustainable development.
Our Core Values
- Participatory approach to development
- Uphold human rights and dignity
- Promote equity
- Transparency and accountability
- Professionalism
- Team work
- Punctuality