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CIC FOUNDATION
CIC Foundation: Building Communities Through Education, Sustainability, and Social Impact
CIC Foundation is the corporate social responsibility branch of CIC Insurance Group, one of Kenya’s longest-standing insurance and financial services firms. Since its official establishment in 2016, the Foundation has been at the forefront of CIC Group’s commitment to give back to the communities it serves. While CIC organization has grown greatly over the decades since its inception in 1968, the Foundation serves as a distinct avenue through which the organization invests in people rather than profits.
A Mission Rooted in Education
The CIC Foundation’s work is based on a strong belief that education is one of the greatest transforming forces accessible to any community. The Foundation supports financially underprivileged students in Kenya, particularly from cooperative movement backgrounds, who have completed elementary education but face significant impediments to secondary education.
The scholarship program was created from the bottom up to fill this gap. Rather of providing one-time cash support, the Foundation adopts a comprehensive approach. It works with schools around the country via CIC Group’s branch network to ensure that students engaged in the program receive substantial help beyond school expenses. First-year beneficiaries also receive personal items such as uniforms and textbooks, acknowledging that the cost of commencing secondary school extends beyond tuition.
Since its inception in 2016, the CIC Foundation has helped 176 students gain entrance to high-quality public secondary schools in Kenya. In one of its most recent scholarship cycles, 22 new students were awarded high school scholarships. All of these pupils had successfully completed primary school but were unable to continue their education owing to budgetary limitations.
Beyond financial support, the Foundation’s approach increasingly recognises that meaningful youth empowerment requires more than access to the classroom. Mentorship and capacity building form a key pillar of the Foundation’s 2026–2030 Strategy, complementing educational support by helping young people develop the skills, confidence, networks and opportunities they need to thrive
The Foundation’s reach remains largely dependent on CIC Group as its primary sponsor, but the Foundation has expressed an openness to embracing more well-wishers and sponsors who can assist extend that influence even further.
Expanding Education Opportunities Beyond Secondary School
Building on the impact of our secondary school scholarship programme, 2026 marks an important milestone as we extend our support beyond secondary education to tertiary level. In August, the first cohort of 21 beneficiaries supported through the Foundation’s secondary school scholarship programme will transition to tertiary institutions, marking the next chapter in their education journey. This progression reflects our commitment to creating a more sustained pathway of opportunity for deserving students—supporting them not only to complete secondary school, but also to pursue higher education and build the knowledge and skills needed to realise their potential and contribute meaningfully to their communities.
Expanding the Foundation’s Footprint Through Sustainability
In November 2024, CIC Insurance Group made an important announcement that explicitly linked the Foundation’s future to a larger business ambition. The Group published its first Sustainability Report and announced a six-year Sustainability Plan spanning 2025 to 2030. This plan is based on four pillars: environmental stewardship, social responsibility, economic resilience, and responsible governance.
CIC Foundation is important to this plan’s Social Responsibility pillar. One of the specific 2030 targets in the sustainability strategy is to promote community development through the CIC Foundation. This indicates that the Foundation’s mandate is likely to expand greatly in the coming years rather than remaining limited to scholarships alone.
Patrick Nyaga, CIC Group’s Managing Director and CEO, stated at the Sustainability Report unveiling that the group’s principles and business strategy are inextricably intertwined. He emphasized that CIC’s sustainability efforts are based on cooperative values, and that the organization’s solutions are intended to address emerging concerns such as climate change while remaining accessible to a wide range of audiences, including cooperatives and marginalized communities.
Training and Capacity Building
Aside from scholarships, the CIC Foundation has worked to strengthen the capacity of cooperative leaders around the country. The Foundation has held 38 Co-operative training engagements in 2025, reaching6,590 co-operative board memberson essential issues including risk management, financial health, digital lending, and cybersecurity. These seminars were designed for top management and board members of various cooperatives, in line with the Foundation’s overarching purpose of creating institutions that serve entire communities, rather than simply individuals.
This type of training is especially essential considering the rapid speed of digital transformation in Kenya’s financial sector. As cooperatives negotiate new technology and threats, having access to this type of information can significantly impact how they function and safeguard their members.
CIC Group also continued to support the establishment and strengthening of more than 100 co-operatives in 2025 across regions including Meru, Narok, Nakuru and Western Kenya. This support, together with CIC’s participation in co-operative AGMs, education forums and board meetings, reflects a broader approach to social impact—one that strengthens the institutions through which millions of people access financial services, build livelihoods and participate in local economic development
Broader Social Programmes
The Foundation’s activity is under CIC Group’s broader corporate social responsibility framework, which has previously included environmental sustainability, talent development, health awareness, sports, and community participation. Over the years, CIC Group has sponsored health projects through collaborations like the AMREF Wellness Festival, visited children’s homes during difficult times like the COVID-19 pandemic, and participated in community events that reflect company values.
The Group is also a signatory to the Nairobi Declaration on Sustainable Insurance and a member of the UN Global Compact Network Kenya, demonstrating its commitment to acting as a responsible corporate citizen. Its 2030 sustainability priorities include reducing greenhouse gas emissions, ensuring gender equality in the workforce, and enhancing customer satisfaction, all of which foster an environment conducive to the Foundation’s activities.
Looking Ahead
CIC Foundation enters this new chapter with a stronger strategic mandate than at any other point in its history. The introduction of CIC Group’s Sustainability Plan has formally integrated the Foundation into the organization’s long-term strategy. With ambitious goals set for 2030 and a track record spanning nearly a decade of community service, the Foundation is well positioned to expand its impact in education, capacity building, and community resilience.
As CIC Group expands its operations in Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, and South Sudan, so does the Foundation’s ability to reach more people. The willingness to accept additional sponsors and partners also indicates that the organization is ready to significantly expand its activity. What began as a scholarship program for cooperative families has evolved into a more structured, values-driven initiative to guarantee that the communities CIC Group serves are not just shielded from risk, but also truly empowered to grow.
