Awuor Ponge
As a result of my studies at IDS, I was able to get a placement at the oldest think tank in Kenya, the Institute of Policy Analysis and Research (IPAR). Beyond that, I have served as the Special Rapporteur of the Think Tank Network in Eastern Africa (TTN-EA). I have engaged in the study of complex human social behaviours in development; governance and rebuilding of democracy in Africa; political theory and the history of political thought; and the intersection of political economy - especially development and ethics and gender in Kenya.
Julius Shoboi Mwahunga
I consider IDS as the best Institute to gain knowledge and understanding of the Development discourse. Personally, I have become more functionally relevant at work applying all that I learnt at IDS. I consider the Institute "the basket where professionalism in the development sector is bread."
Research Professor | Institute for Development Studies | University of Nairobi
Kibui Rwigi
At IDS they make you earn your degree, there are no shortcuts, and I am all the better for it! I benefited a great deal from IDS' seminar-style mode of teaching and the close mentorship and friendship of my research supervisors. I acquired key learning, literacy and life skills from my time at IDS that I apply every day in both professional and non-professional contexts. Having an IDS degree has opened doors for me and allowed me to advance in my career.
Linda Were
Environmental, social and governance concerns from stakeholders continue to pose risks to development projects such as lose of social licence to operate, reputational risks and loss of investors consequently leading to project delays and loss of jobs. ESG and sustainability are at the core of IDS which has equipped me with requisite skills and knowledge on holistically assessing infrastructure projects across Africa from an environmental, social and economic point of view and coming up with safeguard policies and strategies on how to manage the risks.
Complementary options to development of underdevelopment: Lessons from the use of community currencies in Kenya
Governments and non-governmental organizations around the world have embraced community or complementary currencies (CCs) as tools of poverty reduction, environmental protection and promotion of social solidarity. Community Currencies are best viewed as a financial innovation to assist local-level development and are seen as a new age poverty-reduction strategy. Popular CCs include: FureaiKippu (Japan), Red De Turque (Argentina), Ithaca Hours (United States), Bristol Pounds (United Kingdom) and Chiemgauer (Germany).
Devolution in Kenya: Strengthening Systems for Public Participation
The Kenyan legal framework obligates the national and county governments to involve the
people in the decision making process. To achieve this ideal, county governments are required
to establish structures to facilitate citizen participation in their operations. This policy brief sheds
light on some of the issues that counties should focus on so as to institutionalize and strengthen
systems for public participation in county decision making processes.