Ford Foundation has funded 205 organisations and State agencies

Ford Foundation President Darren Walker speaks onstage during day two of CareFest at UCLA Meyer and Renee Luskin Conference Center on November 03, 2023, in Los Angeles, California. [AFP] At least 205 Non-Governmental Organisations in Kenya have benefitted from Ford Foundation grants. A search on Ford Foundations website shows the organisations received the funds between 2006 and 2024. Some organisations have received funding more than once as indicated on the Foundation's website. Last week, President William Ruto said Ford Foundation is sponsoring anti-government protests in the country. Ford Foundations has since denied the claims. The government on July 18 wrote to the Ford Foundation demanding reports from 16 organisations it claimed are funded by the foundation to sponsor protests in Kenya. At the same time, the letter sought to compel the charity organisation to explain funding to the organisations amounting to Sh194 million ($1.49 million) over the last month. "Most of the guarantees have been at the centre of the anti-finance bill protests and the subsequent anarchic mobilisations that have sought to upend the peace and security of the State," said Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary, Korir Sing'oei. Sing'oei argued that the protests have morphed and escalated into toppling the country's democratically elected and constitutionally sanctioned government, allegations which the CSOs dismissed. Ford Foundation would later respond by dismissing the allegations, saying their website has the answers the Ruto-led administration is seeking. "As a charitable foundation, with a global presence, our grant-making is transparent and readily available on our website. This includes a database showing where funds go as well as highlights from our rich history in East Africa and around the world," the organisation published on its website on July 20. First Lady Rachel Ruto's Joyful Women Organisation (Joywo) is listed as a beneficiary on the Foundation's website. Joywo received funding in the years 2014 and 2020. In November 2014, Joyful Women received $100,119 (Sh13,115,589) from Ford Foundation. The funding was meant to promote "table banking" micro-loan models for women. In May 2020, Joywo received $105,000 (about Sh13,755,000) from the Foundation. The Council of Governors in August 2018 received $350,000 (Sh45,937,500) from the Foundation. According to the Foundation, the grant was meant to strengthen the capacity of women- and youth-led counties for improved public participation in budgeting processes and oversight of public resources. The Judiciary in July 2013 got a $1,000,000 (Sh131,500,000) grant. The amount was to go to the Judiciary Training Institute to conduct training, judicial exchange programmes, and other activities such as developing the Supreme Court's capacity. Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (Kari) got a grant in November 2009 and February 2012. In 2009, Kari got a Sh26,300,000 grant to conduct research on value chains that link rural producers and other marginalised vulnerable markets. In 2013, it got a $400,000 (Sh52,600,000) grant to develop guidelines and recommendations for best practices in developing and promoting pro-poor value chains that benefit women and the poor. The Higher Education Loans Board in July 2008 got a $870,000 (Sh114,405,000) grant for a multi-dimensional intervention to increase the number of women teachers in one of the most educationally disadvantaged regions in Kenya. Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) has also received grants multiple times. KHRC in July 2023 got $600,000 (Sh78,900,000). In April 2024 KHCR received an additional $100,000 (Sh39,450,000) grant. According to the Foundation's website, KHRC has received grants since November 2008. In November 2008, KHRC got a $600,000 (Sh78,900,000) grant for activities encouraging citizen participation in promoting and facilitating equality, justice, and national reconciliation in Kenya. In February 2011, KHRC got $300,000 (Sh39,450,000) for research, capacity building, and communications to strengthen human rights networks and promote the implementation of constitutional reforms concerning accountability, justice, and women's human rights. In May 2012, KHRC got $300,000 (Sh39,450,000) to help develop a regulatory framework for civil society organisations and strategic planning, institutional development, and activities to address the marginalisation of women from politics. In September 2012, KHRC received a $1,000,000 (Sh13,150,000) grant to establish the Human Rights-Based Constitutional and Democratic Culture in Africa Programme. KHRC in July 2013 got a $100,000 ((Sh13,150,000) grant fund to recognise a champion of democracy with general support to foster human rights, democratic values, human dignity, and social justice. In May 2014, KHRC got a $125,000 (Sh16,406,250) grant for institutional sustainability and the equality of opportunities project to organise marginalised communities to engage with county and national issues. In November 2014, the Commission got $1,200,000 (Sh157,800,000) for support to increase its presence at the regional and international levels to enhance human rights-based constitutional and democratic culture and promote corporate accountability in Africa. In June 2024, Mzalendo Trust received $335,000 (approximately Sh43,717,500) for general support to promote the realisation of open, inclusive, and accountable Parliaments across Kenya and Africa, and project support for institutional strengthening. This Ability Trust, a women-led nonprofit organisation whose mission is to advance the sexual reproductive health and rights of women and girls with disabilities in Kenya and across the region got $100,000 (approximately Sh13,050,000) in June this year. The Coalition for Grassroots Human Rights Defenders Kenya also got a $250,000 (Sh32,625,000) grant in July 2023 with a $50,000 (Sh6,562,500) increase in May 2024. The National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders-Kenya (NCHRD-K) received $257,000 (Sh33,731,250). In August 2022, (NCHRD-K) received a $520,000 grant (Sh68,120,000). This was in support of strengthening preventive and practical emergency response for the protection of Human Rights Defenders and for increasing political costs and accountability for rights violations in Kenya. In July 2020, (NCHRD-K) received a $150,000 (Sh19,650,000) grant to support the protection and resilience of human rights defenders in East Africa. Ford Foundation in May 2024 approved a $200,000 (Sh26,200,000) grant for the Institute for Social Accountability (TISA). TISA according to the Foundation, was to use the funds to support a national and regional campaign for political accountability in public debt management as an avenue to combat systemic corruption and advance freedoms in Kenya and the region. In March 2021, TISA got a $150,000 (Sh19,650,000) grant from the foundation in support of a national and regional campaign for political accountability in public debt management as an avenue to combat systemic corruption in Kenya and the region. In May 2024, The Open Institute Trust (OIT) got a $100,000 (Sh13,100,000) grant for the support of the Maono Initiative to improve change makers' impact on community development in coastal Kenya by providing space for working, networking, collaboration, capacity building, and grant-making. Ford Foundation also granted the Endorois Welfare Council $50,000 (approximately Sh6,525,000) in March 2014 to help in the implementation of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights declaration on land and territorial rights of minorities in Kenya. The Young Members of County Assemblies Association of Kenya in October 2023 got a $50,000 (Sh 6,562,500) grant to help enhance the members' capacity and strengthen their leadership capacity to improve their effectiveness in championing ethical, transparent, and accountable leadership that is responsive to citizens' needs. The Law Society of Kenya in July 2023 got a $25,000 (Sh3, 281,250) for support for the Women's Breakfast Meeting at the Law Society of Kenya Annual Conference. In August 2022, LSK also got a $25,000 (Sh3,287,500) grant. In October 2020, LSK got $20,000 (Sh2,625,000) for support of a project entitled, Securing Constitutionalism and the Rule of Law: Reflection on 10 Years of the Kenyan Constitution. The Inter-Religious Council of Kenya also got $100,000 (Sh13,150,000) in April 2022. This was meant to support the Women's Situation Room to mitigate against sexual and gender-based violence and other forms of violence in Kenya's 2022 general elections. Kenya Young Parliamentarians Association in September 2019 got a $250,000 (Sh32,877,500) grant for support to strengthen young legislators' leadership capacity to improve their effectiveness in championing ethical, transparent, and accountable leadership responsive to citizens' needs.

Ford Foundation has funded 205 organisations and State agencies

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