The Case of K-Rep -Nairobi, Kenya

This case study details the life-cycle, evolution and transformation of K-Rep, which started in 1984 as an USAID project in Kenya. K-Rep began by applying an integrated methodology to intermediate funds for NGOs that were addressing poverty alleviation in Kenya through microfinance and enterprise assistance.

Initially one entity, K-Rep later systematically spun off the financial services division into K-Rep Bank, the microfinance capacity building division into K-Rep Advisory Services, and finally spun off a third agency, K-Rep Development Agency. The case study also discusses the implications for replication in other settings. Suggestions mentioned include:

• Leadership of institutions seeking to scale up and transform should first understand and foresee the implications that scaling up may have, particularly with respect to the structures needed to maintain their core mission and objectives;
• Importance of testing new methodologies locally and adapting them to suit the circumstances requires the creation of an organization capable of learning both internally and externally.