All About Cefresa
The Center for Resilience and Sustainable Africa (CEFRESA) is a people-centered institution working to advance resilient livelihoods, inclusive governance, social cohesion, and sustainable development systems across Kenya.
About Cefresa
Who we are..
The Center for Resilience and Sustainable Africa (CEFRESA) is a people-centered institution working to advance resilient livelihoods, inclusive governance, social cohesion, and sustainable development systems across Kenya. We are driven by the belief that lasting change happens when communities are supported to engage in shaping the decisions, systems, and opportunities that affect their lives.
CEFRESA operates at the intersection of people, evidence, and power, recognizing that sustainable development requires more than technical solutions; it demands that lived experiences, Indigenous knowledge, and community realities are valued as essential forms of evidence. By grounding development and governance processes in these perspectives, we work to ensure that systems are not only effective but also inclusive, responsive, and just.
Our work spans interconnected areas of livelihoods, climate and environmental action, governance, peacebuilding, and wellbeing, reflecting our commitment to addressing the structural and everyday realities that shape resilience.
Through this integrated approach, we strengthen the capacity of communities and institutions to adapt, participate, and lead, while contributing to systems that are more equitable and sustainable.
What Enabled the Impact
CEFRESA’s impact has been driven by a deliberate and integrated approach that combines principles, partnerships, and systems thinking.
At the core is a commitment to community-centered practice, supported by:
- Strong local connections and trust-based engagement with communities
- A systems change approach that addresses root causes, not just symptoms
- Ecosystem building, linking communities, institutions, and partners
- A ripple effect model that enables knowledge and action to cascade across networks
- Strategic use of media and communication platforms to expand reach and influence
- Continuous investment in institutional strength and internal capacity
Our Vision
An inclusive and prosperous society anchored in resilience and equity
Our Mission
We strengthen community agencies and drive systematic transformation by advancing inclusive governance, fostering participation, generating knowledge, and promoting evidence-based advocacy and collaborative action for equity, resilience, and shared prosperity.
Our Goal
To contribute to shaping governance and public systems that advance equity, inclusion, and resilience, ensuring dignity and shared progress for all.
Our Origin and Purpose
How we got established..
Established in May 2020, CEFRESA emerged in response to persistent gaps in governance, coordination, access to knowledge, and community agency, particularly across coastal Kenya.
These challenges were deeply intersected with broader structural issues, including environmental degradation, climate change, food insecurity, and the exclusion of communities, especially women and youth, from emerging opportunities within the green and blue economy.
As a result, many communities faced barriers in their ability to:
- Adapt to changing social, economic, and environmental conditions
- Secure sustainable and dignified livelihoods
- Access opportunities and participate in development processes
- Influence decisions that shape their lives
In response, CEFRESA was initially registered as a community-based organization to advance environmental governance, climate action, food security, and women’s empowerment, with a strong focus on inclusion within sustainable livelihood systems.
As the organization’s work expanded in scope, reach, and strategic influence, CEFRESA transitioned and registered in Kenya by the government as a Non‐Governmental Organization under Section 10 of the Non‐Governmental Organizations Coordination Act vide certificate number OP.218/051/23-194/13234 dated 24th of August 2023. This transition marked a significant institutional milestone, strengthening its capacity to operate at broader levels, deepen partnerships, and scale impact across communities, policies, spaces, and systems.
From the outset, and through this evolution, the organization has combined community engagement, research, and capacity strengthening to bridge the gap between grassroots realities and decision-making spaces, laying the foundation for a more integrated and system-oriented approach.
Our Approach..
How we work..
How We Drive Just and Resilient Change
At CEFRESA, our work is grounded in the understanding that sustainable and equitable systems are built when communities, institutions, and evidence are meaningfully connected. We approach resilience and governance as interconnected processes, requiring inclusive participation, trusted knowledge, and accountable systems.
Our approach integrates community-driven action with evidence-informed decision-making, ensuring that development is both locally grounded and systemically transformative.
Our Guiding Principles
These principles shape how we design, implement, and sustain impact across all our work
- Locally Led Resilience
We center community knowledge, lived experiences, and local adaptive practices as the foundation for resilience. By strengthening local capacities and leadership, we support communities to define and drive their own development pathways.
- Evidence-Informed Governance
We generate, translate, and apply community-rooted evidence to inform planning, budgeting, and policy processes. This ensures that decision-making is not only data-driven but also reflective of lived realities.
- Inclusive Participation
We create meaningful opportunities for children, youth, women, and marginalized groups to actively engage in and influence governance processes, moving from passive inclusion to active agency.
- Wellness and Social Cohesion
We embed mental health, healing, peacebuilding, and interpersonal resilience into our work, recognizing that strong societies are built on wellbeing, trust, and social cohesion.
- Partnerships and Systems Strengthening
We build and support multi-sectoral platforms and institutional structures that enable coordinated action, collective learning, and long-term, systemic change beyond individual projects.
CEFRESA’s approach connects people, evidence, and institutions through a continuous cycle:
- Engage communities to surface lived experiences, knowledge, and priorities
- Generate and translate evidence into accessible, actionable insights
- Facilitate inclusive dialogue and participation in governance processes
- Strengthen institutional responsiveness and accountability
- Sustain change through partnerships, learning, and system strengthening
This integrated model allows us to move beyond short-term interventions toward long-term resilience, equity, and accountable governance systems.
Our People
At CEFRESA, our strength lies in our people’s diverse and committed network of individuals working across communities, institutions, and sectors to advance resilience, equity, and inclusive systems.
Our structure reflects both institutional leadership and collaborative practice, bringing together a dedicated team, an independent board, and a network of associates who contribute to our work.
Our Team
Our team brings together professionals with experience across governance, livelihoods, climate action, research, and community engagement. They lead the design and implementation of our programs, facilitate partnerships, and ensure that our work remains responsive to community needs and evolving contexts.
The team works closely with communities, partners, and institutions to translate ideas into action, ensuring that CEFRESA’s mission is realized through practical, grounded, and impactful interventions.
Our Board
CEFRESA’s Board offers strategic direction, governance oversight, and accountability, ensuring that the organization remains aligned with its mission, values, and long-term vision.
The Board brings together individuals with diverse expertise across governance, development, research, and leadership. Their guidance strengthens institutional integrity, supports strategic growth, and reinforces CEFRESA’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
Our Associates
CEFRESA works with a dynamic network of associates who contribute specialized expertise across research, policy, facilitation, and sectoral practice, as well as key institutional functions that support organizational growth and sustainability.
These collaborators include researchers, practitioners, facilitators, and technical experts who support the design and delivery of our programs and platforms, alongside professionals contributing to resource mobilization, partnerships, branding, and strategic communication.
Through this network, CEFRESA can operate with both depth and flexibility, drawing on diverse expertise to respond to complex challenges, strengthen program quality, and expand institutional reach.
