NAIROBI, KENYA, OCTOBER 10, 2014 – The Aga Khan Foundation U.S.A. (AKF USA) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) signed a partnership agreement in Nairobi to support a four-year activity called the Yetu Initiative. Designed to empower Kenyan civil society organizations, the $6 million program will help Kenyan communities and civil society organizations jointly tackle the country’s most pressing challenges.

“Yetu,” which means “ours” in Kiswahili, will build local ownership and support for civil society organizations, enabling them to sustain their advocacy for the Kenyan people over the long-term. The Yetu Initiative is the first country-level project of USAID and AKF USA’s Global Alliance for Community Philanthropy. This Alliance, which includes the C.S. Mott Foundation and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, provides a global platform to exchange best practices and different approaches on strengthening civil society sustainability. The Yetu Initiative will contribute lessons learned, and provide an opportunity for other countries to learn from Kenya. Read the full press release here.