For The People By The People
At Ark Development Initiative CBO, we empower low-income communities through innovative financial and development solutions. Our holistic approach addresses Economic Empowerment, Food Security, Access to Housing, Natural Resources Management, and Socio-cultural Enhancement and Integration. Join us in building a sustainable future, one community at a time.
Our Mission
To Promote a Self-reliant Society through the provision of Innovative Financial and Non-financial Services by Establishing, Strengthening and Managing Member-owned Organizations.
Our Vision
A leading Community-owned Ethical Organization.
Our Slogan
"For the people, by the people".
Leading
We are setting the pace for the others to follow.
Community-owned
We are truly founded and owned by the community.
Ethical Organization
We provide good governance, care, and respect for our stakeholders.
Our Projects
Read more about our projects
CFSAs
The FSA project is a rural access to finance project that was started in the 1990s with the first FSA being set up in Bura in the Taita Taveta County of Kenya in 1997.
Ashes CBO
This project that was designed to improve the Office premises of the FSAs and Ark by ensuring that Ark and the FSAs would be housed in modern buildings that would be owned by the members.
AGHL
The project was created to help low income earners owning houses and living in the slums access rent advances to enable them to improve their houses.
Arkfam Limited
This project was designed to facilitate access to building materials for the members. Arkfam runs a hardware where members can access building materials through financing from the FSAs.
ASWAP
It is a benevolent program that was designed to mitigate the costs of final sendoff of deceased members and their loved ones. Members contribute monthly
Read more about our projects
About Us
Ark Development Initiative CBO (ADI CBO) was founded in 2010 by Saro Charo Saro to help low-income earners create wealth through a community-financed business hub. This hub aimed to grow into formal entities providing financial and non-financial services. Initially, the model operated under Ark Sacco. However, due to the limitations of the Sacco setup, a more comprehensive model was developed, ADI CBO in 2014. ADI CBO runs Community Financial Services Associations (CFSAs), which are village banks developed with support from DFID and Plan International and implemented by KREP Development Agency in the 90s. These CFSAs are part of a holistic model based on five pillars: economic empowerment, food security, low-cost housing, natural resources management, and socio-cultural enhancement and integration. The goal is to improve lives and create wealth while conserving nature.
CEO Note
Welcome to Ark Development Initiative CBO (ADI CBO). Since our founding in 2010, our mission has been to empower low-income communities through innovative financial and development solutions. We believe in the power of community-driven initiatives to create sustainable wealth and improve lives. Our holistic approach, based on five strategic pillars, addresses Economic Empowerment, Food Security, Access to housing, Natural Resources Management, and Socio-Cultural Enhancement. Using local resources, we are building a brighter future, one community at a time. Thank you for being part of our journey.
Saro Charo Saro
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
We are ready to answer your calls
Call us now