The founding story
In the year 2022, William Tolbert was selected as an ‘accountapreneur’ fellow for the Accountability Lab Virtual Incubator fellowship. Throughout the year, William fellowship focused on working towards an inclusive society in which persons with a disability, youths and women in Africa benefit from equal rights and opportunities. By the end of the followship the idea of “Promoters of Social Inclusion” was actualized as a concept and pitched. The core objective for our concept was to advance inclusive development and democracy for all, especially for the marginalized women, youths and persons with disabilities in Africa.
In 2023, “Promoters of Social Inclusion” concept was incorporated in Kenya as a social enterprise organization; and our motivation was to promote inclusion and to address the barriers that exclude persons with disabilities, women and youths from the equal enjoyment of their human rights. The good news is that the same year, “Promoters of Social Inclusion” was awarded a Charles F. Kettering Global Fellows for Advancing Inclusive Democracies project.
With support of the Kettering Foundation, “Promoters of Social Inclusion” created a tool kit designed to help raise democratic awareness for grassroot women in Kenya.
In 2024, “Promoters of Social Inclusion” was registered as non-profit African social enterprise organization in Kenya. Our focus is to foster strategic partnerships to accelerate the inclusive development and democracy through inclusion. We dream of an empowered citizens in an inclusive society where persons with disabilities, youths and women have their development and democratic rights protected.
Who we are
The PSI – Foundation Kenya (PSI, short for Promoters of Social Inclusion) is a non-profit, non-political social enterprise organization registered as a Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG) in Kenya. PSI Foundation uniquely combines development and humanitarian efforts to promote social inclusion in development and democracy.
Our Core Principle
We adhere to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) principle "Leave no one behind (LNOB)" and "Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want." We collaborate with People with Disabilities, Women, Youths, and Children to overcome barriers preventing their full participation in political, economic, and social life. Our work is rooted in the transformative 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As an African-based social enterprise, we align our efforts with Agenda 2063. We also embrace guidelines from CEDAW, UNCRPD, UNCRC, and the UN Youth Strategy (2018–2030).
Why we exist
In Kenya and Africa, persons with disabilities, women, children, and youths are more likely to live in poverty and face limited access to education, healthcare, employment, housing, social protection, justice, cultural expression, and political participation due to their status based on disability, age, and gender. We exist to work hard to break down barriers that deny persons with disabilities, women, children, and youths their rights.
Our Approach
By working with like-minded individuals and organizations, we aim to address systemic barriers affecting the social inclusion of women, persons with disabilities, and youths/children. We believe lasting change is possible when social inclusion is embraced in both democratic and economic development. We assert that there is a close link between democracy and socio-economic development.
National Priority
Social inclusion is a key priority in Kenya’s national agenda. However, many persons with disabilities, women, youths, and children continue to face systematic exclusion in development and democratic processes. This exclusion is particularly acute in democratic processes, which are often linked solely to politics. PSI Foundation knows too well that the social inclusion promotes democratic aspiration that is not only confined to the arena of political democracy (of elections, and granting of civil and political rights), but involves the demand for economic empowerment, better living standards, and adequate social welfare
Registration and Membership
PSI Foundation is registered as a non-profit company limited by guarantee (CLG) in Kenya with aspirations to work across Africa. We are proud members of Social Enterprise Kenya (SEK). Our interventions are supported by research, policy, and practice. We also offer technical support and capacity development on best social inclusion models for inclusive development and democracy.