Strengthening Community Research Capacity to Promote Health Equity in Kenya: The Imarisha Initiative

Community-based organizations (CBOs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) play a critical role in providing health services and programs to marginalized and vulnerable populations, yet often lack the research capacity to document their impact, secure sustainable funding, and advocate for policy change. In Kenya, sexual and gender minority (SGM) CBOs face particular challenges in addressing health inequities—including violence, mental health concerns, and substance use—while operating under constrained resources and without the research skills needed to generate evidence for their work. 

This project aims to develop, implement, and disseminate a research capacity strengthening program that empowers CBOs to conceptualize, design, implement, analyze, and disseminate their own research. Co-designed with SGM CBO leaders in Western Kenya who requested this training, the program will work with a coalition of 46 SGM organizations to build sustainable, locally-led research capacity focused on SGM health equity. The project will produce a program that can be adapted by others working to improve health outcomes in LMICs. 

By challenging power dynamics in global health research and centering community voices, the project enables communities most impacted by health inequities to guide research reflecting their lived realities. Expected outcomes include strengthened research capacity among Kenyan SGM CBOs, enabling them to become more self-reliant and competitive for diverse funding sources; a comprehensive training program and related materials; CBO-led research projects on priority health issues; and sustainable systems where learners become leaders and academic partners' roles intentionally diminish, contributing to long-term health equity.