History.
Since inception, RiftValley Institute of Development Studies (RIDS Institute) has been preparing student to start or enhance their careers in Community Development and Social work. Our former students are currently playing an active role in changing the lives of people in the urban and rural communities.
RIDS Institute prides itself as the first Institution to offer unique Community Development Courses in Riftvalley and Western Kenya. In conjunction with I.C.D, RIDS is offering an International Diploma in Community Development, Project Planning and Management. After attaining this Diploma our graduates can pursue a degree course in Community Development. We also have certificate level courses and educative seminars.
RIDS Institute offers a practical and supportive learning environment and flexible course scheduling for the working class. Full-time students attend classes three to four days per week, and evening part-time schedules are available in most programs. Correspondence students get the opportunity to learn from home and now an online course is underway. RIDS Institute is preparing to offer hands-on/online classes for a number of the programs. RIDS Institute students are prepared for fulfilling new careers in fields such as Project Planning, Community Development, Social Work, Community Health, Advocacy and Conflict Management.
Computer studies are offered to all students and English as a second language are offered to foreign nationals whose native/official language is not English and wish to pursue further studies or just learn to communicate in English.
RIDS Institute graduates are increasingly playing essential roles in their governments, local councils, nonprofit agencies, and other private sector organizations. One graduate is now a Samuel Nasak, another is Martha program Manager. Many more of our alumni are employed in NGOs and CBOs all over East Africa and Sudan.
RIDS Institute students specializing in community development are trained to help community organizations and agencies help themselves. They graduate with a clear mindset of their role in contributing to the grassroots approach to community development by joining other disciplines to bring about social change and providing services with the primary objective of reducing poverty and economic and social dependency. During this era of community fragmentation, social alienation, and economic degeneration of the poor and the middle class, there is an increasing need for middle level skilled professionals steer social and community development and at the same time understand and offer advocacy and conflict management.
RIDS Institute is one of the few colleges in East Africa and beyond that offer a specialization in community development and social action. In addition to faculty expertise, external Institutional network, a strong alumni and excellent resources, the Institute is based in a location that provide both rural and urban social and community environment and within reach of areas experiencing social, economic and environmental conflicts.
At RIDS Institute we don’t educate people to KNOW MORE THINGS. We educate our students to be advocates of change in the community. We recognize the fact that educating people amounts to little unless we show them how to CHANGE WHAT AND HOW THEY DO THINGS. Changing people's behavior has always been the most problematic enterprise in human affairs.
With a rich blend of local and international students, RIDS Institute also offers a rich mix of cultural heritage important in social integration at local and international level.
RIDS Institute has a highly qualified and effective staff who work with students at the individual level to ensures that our graduates are well equipped to enable them fit and adopt in dynamic work community and have skills necessary to start and manage their own business. Our staff ensures students pass their internal and external exams and are sensitive to the trainee’s social wellbeing. We guarantees field attachment placement in reputable Organisations.
At RIDS we are dynamic and flexible and are not bound by the traditional ways of training. We have a vision for the Institution, for our trainees, training partners and the community at large. A vision that provide opportunity for career advancement and an opportunity to change our society through education.
As a community based institution RIDS Institute believes in, trains and takes up its share of communal responsibility. We pride in the fact that through partnership with Bishop Geoffrey Buliba of Christian Brotherhood Church we have offered hope and future to a long list of students, current and former, whose parents were not able to raise tuition fee and to whom we offered full financial assistance and personal counseling to complete their courses and helped them with job placement. We are sure Lomulen, Anjere and others in this category who are now making a life for themselves through these efforts will in the same spirit assist others in their community to help themselves.
If you think and believe you can make a contribution to your country, council, village, town or any community based institution, then RIDS INSTITUTE IS THE RIGHT PLACE TO BE IN NOW.

Application forms are available at the Institute offices, by ordinary mail, e-mail or online at www.ridsinstitute.com.