WHO WE ARE

Root Cause Kwanza (RCK) is a community based organization dedicated to addressing the foundational issues (“roots”) that hinder children’s education, health and overall well - being.

“Kwanza” meaning “first” in Swahili reflects our commitment to tackling these critical challenges first to create sustainable, long-term change. We believe that education is the key to transformation and by integrating health and innovative learning strategies, we empower children to reach their full potential.

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VISION

A just and thriving Kenya where every child, regardless of where they are born, has the opportunity to learn, grow, and lead change in their community.

MISSION

Addressing the root causes of poverty by equipping children with education and well-being opportunities

Jacob while hewas livinfg in the slum of Kibera, Nairobi Kenya

History of Root Cause Kwanza (RCK)

Root Cause Kwanza (RCK) was born out of lived experience and a vision for lasting, equitable change in underserved slums and rural communities across Kenya. The seeds of the organization were sown in 2020 when Jacob, once raised in the heart of Kibera- Africa’s largest urban slum, began supporting vulnerable children using his own and friends’ limited resources. Having grown up surrounded by the harsh realities of poverty, Jacob understood firsthand how lack of access to quality education and opportunity stifled potential. His own life took a different path when the gift of education from a sponsor opened doors that would otherwise have remained closed, transforming not only his future but his understanding of what possibility can look like for a child given a chance. Inspired by this experience, these early efforts grew into a grassroots movement, driven by a belief that poverty must be addressed at its root through holistic child development that empowers families both in urban slums and rural villages.

RCK was officially registered in 2024 and began formal operations in 2025. The organization was built with a clear dual-approach: to bridge the development gap between densely populated urban informal settlements like Kibera and remote rural communities where children face equally dire challenges but are often overlooked. Both contexts face systemic barriers to education, health, and opportunity, but the root causes and local dynamics vary significantly.

Today, RCK operates in both urban informal settlements such as Kibera slums and rural communities to support extremely vulnerable children through education sponsorship and educational infrastructure initiatives, including essential school facilities such as science laboratories, libraries, and sanitation facilities that strengthen learning outcomes. Guided by founder Jacob’s personal journey, and motivated by the opportunity he once received through the gift of education, the organisation is committed to lifting other children as he was lifted, giving as many as possible the chance to go to school, dream freely, and simply be children. Our journey is still unfolding, but our foundation, built on lived experience, community trust, and measurable impact, remains strong.