Afya Yetu Initiative

Registered on the 21st June, 2006 as a Non-governmental organization, under section 10 of the Non-Governmental Organizations Co-ordination Act. Afya Yetu Initiative is a predecessor to the International Centre for Development and Research (CIDR); a France based international NGO, implementing projects and programmes in 15 African countries. CIDR Nyeri was implementing the Community Based Healthcare Insurance (CBHI) Programme in Kenya from 2001 until December 2008 after which AYI took over intensifying on action research, training, awareness creation, sensitization, information and communication processes, to enable poor communities and informal sector workers to establish self managed health micro insurance schemes. At its height, the project benefitted over 200,000 beneficiaries in Nyeri, Kirinyaga and Murangá counties, significantly reducing their financial constraints in seeking health care. CIDR remained the technical support partner until 2018 while Bread for the World (Protestant Church development service) of Germany is providing financial support. Due to the ongoing health sector financing reforms, AYI has slowly shifted focus to health budgets advocacy and social accountability approaches to ensure the right to quality health is realised.