Malaika Foundation (MF) is a not -for- profit organization with a mission to transform the way the world deals with conflict, away from adversarial, win-lose approaches and towards a cooperative, win-win approaches. It does this through exploring spaces that create opportunities more so for young adults to expand their capabilities. The organization believes that violence can be avoided and conflict resolved through efforts that promote inclusion and access to justice.

Malaika Foundation has a history of innovative programming to prevent and counter violent extremism in Kenya. Amongst the innovations of the organization are the Diminishing Opportunities for Violent Extremism (DOVE) and the Mainstreaming, Acceleration and Policy Support (MAPs) strategies.  The Foundation has worked with likeminded CSOs and the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) to develop County Action Plans in all the 47 counties in Kenya that contribute towards Kenya’s efforts and capacities in conflict prevention and CVE in line with the National Strategy to Counter Violent Extremism (NSCVE). Specifically, this work has contributed to the enhancement, protection and empowerment of diverse stakeholders and making them agents of change in peace and security by identifying and resolving the local contextual drivers of violent extremism through the adoption of evidence-based approaches and the use of sustainable CVE mitigating models in the identified high-risk areas in Kenya. One of the mitigating models that this project has been conceptualized to realize is the MAPs.

MF specializes in supporting counties to translate the commitments of CAPs into actions mainly through development of models for their implementation and continuous supply of evidence as to why stakeholders should act and capacity-build on new tactics for P/CVE. This support is framed by common approaches to connective and complementary action between state and non-state actors. MF’s theory of change is that a platform for collaboration of multiple actors in diverse fields brought together by the desire to protect the people of the counties and Kenya at large from violent extremism can stop radicalization and recruitment. Over the years of its work in the area of P/CVE, MF believes that what ought to take priority at this stage is not the question of why we should act on P/ CVE, rather what should we invest in as part of our P/CVE work?

MAPs underpin MF interventions. During the period October 2020 to March 2021, MF has worked with other actors in Isiolo, Mombasa, Nairobi, Kilifi and Kwale to foster innovation and collective actions. We have worked with the Communities Against Radicalization and Extremism Network (CAREN) and the local networks to enhance the allocation of public resources from the county governments. The county governments through the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) shall be encouraged to allocate resources to support local women led co-operatives, women led networks and CAREN.