Founded in 2007, Rieko Kenya began as a community based organization (CBO) with a goal to alleviate poverty and amplify the voice of the disadvantaged and poor communities in Kenya. It was founded by Edward Kabaka, a Kenyan originating from Nyatike, Migori county and who wanted his family and community members to have a better upbringing than he had. Orphaned at a very young age, Edward was left to raise his own money for school fees and to bring up his siblings, through working at the local gold mines and doing other odd jobs. Life was tough, and Edward saw firsthand the immense sufferings of orphans, widows and people living in his community.

Support the Poor
The continuous vicious cycle of poverty that Edward saw on a
daily basis in his home region was too much for Edward to bear.
It is therefore that Edward founded Rieko Kenya in 2007, a CBO with a target to mobilize support for the poor, disadvantaged
and vulnerable in Kenyan communities. He wanted these people
to have a voice too!

Sustainable Development
Edward’s passion and drive was the main factor in seeing Rieko to where it is now. In 2010 the thriving CBO changed into an NGO whose mission and goals stayed the same, however the focus was now on a much larger scale. Rieko gained a highly proficient internationally based Advisory board, linked with a number of international and local Partners and now attracts volumes of volunteers and interns each year who want to help Rieko reach its goals in sustainable development in supporting the poor in Kenya. Despite the significant growth of the organization, Edward’s and Rieko’s belief has remained the same – empower communities to become self-reliant, aid will not save!