KOUNKUEY DESIGN INITIATIVE INC
Programs
Community Development Projects
THROUGHOUT 2022, WE RETURNED TO THE OFFICE WITH THE GOAL OF CONTINUING AND DEVELOPING PROJECTS THAT RESPOND TO THE MANY CHALLENGES EXACERBATED BY THE PANDEMIC. OUR 28 ACTIVE PROJECTS ACROSS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IN 2022 REFLECTED OUR DEEPENING COMMITMENT TO OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS AND INDIGENOUS TRIBES AND A CONTINUED FOCUS ON ISSUES OF SYSTEMIC RACISM IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND NEIGHBORHOOD RESILIENCE. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION, WE WORKED WITH RESIDENTS IN SUN VILLAGE, A HISTORICALLY AFRICAN AMERICAN NEIGHBORHOOD, TO DEVELOP AN EXHIBIT COMMEMORATING THE HISTORY OF THE PARK AND THE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED IN 2024. MOREOVER, KDI COMPLETED A VISION PLAN FOR TURNING AN OVERFLOW PARKING LOT IN DOWNTOWN LA INTO A COMMUNITY CENTER THAT WILL SERVE FORMERLY INCARCERATED PEOPLE, FORMERLY UNHOUSED PEOPLE, AND LOW-INCOME CHINATOWN RESIDENTS. OUR DESIGN INCLUDES A MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT WITH AFFORDABLE AND SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, A COMMERCIAL KITCHEN, CLASSROOMS, AND ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT CAN PROVIDE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH ACCESS TO HOUSING, JOBS AND GOVERNMENT IDENTIFICATION. ADDITIONALLY, IN THE EASTERN COACHELLA VALLEY WHERE SUMMER TEMPERATURES ROUTINELY HIT 120 DEGREES, KDI PARTNERED WITH UCLA, COMMUNITY RESIDENTS AND THE LOCAL BUS TRANSIT PROVIDER TO DEVELOP A PILOT BUS STOP SHADE STRUCTURE WITH SOLAR LIGHTING, THAT CAN PROMOTE MORE EQUITABLE RIDERSHIP. FINALLY, IN THE PACOIMA NEIGHBORHOOD OF LOS ANGELES, WE CONTINUED OUR WORK WITH HUNDREDS OF RESIDENTS TO TRANSFORM AN UNUSED ROADSIDE AREA INTO A LOCAL MIXED-USE GREENWAY.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJan 1, 2022 – Dec 31, 2022Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$1.2MSlum Upgrading Initiatives
DURING 2022, OUR UNIQUE APPROACH TO SLUM UPGRADING CONTINUED TO ATTRACT THE ATTENTION OF NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES, INCLUDING THE KENYA NATIONAL GOVERNMENT AND THE FRENCH DEVELOPMENT AGENCY. THIS YEAR KDI WORKED WITH THE NEXON FOUNDATION TO CO-DESIGN AND BUILD TWO PERMANENT PLAY HUBS IN THE KIBERA SLUM IN NAIROBI, WHICH HELP BRING A FOCUS ON PLAY AS A FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENT TO CREATING MORE EQUITABLE AND ENJOYABLE PUBLIC SPACES, SCHOOLS, AND STREETS. CHILDREN WERE INVOLVED IN ALL LEVELS OF THE DESIGN PROCESS, FROM BUILDING DREAM PLAY SPACES OUT OF NEXON BRICKS TO MAKING THE FINAL PRODUCT WILDLY SUCCESSFUL AND POPULAR IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. ADDITIONALLY, KDI PARTNERED WITH UNITED NATIONS HABITAT AND THE FOUX FOUNDATION TO CONDUCT PARTICIPATORY PUBLIC SPACE DESIGNS IN THREE VILLAGES IN THE KALOBEYEI INTEGRATED SETTLEMENT IN NORTHWEST KENYA. THE SETTLEMENT IS COMPRISED OF BOTH LOCAL RESIDENTS AND REFUGES FROM NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES WHO WERE FORCIBLY DISPLACED DUE TO CONFLICT, VIOLENCE AND CLIMATE CHANGE. THE DESIGN PROCESS STRENGTHENED TIES BETWEEN THE LOCAL AND REFUGEE COMMUNITIES, AND HAS IMPROVED THE SAFETY OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN, MITIGATED CLIMATE RISKS, AND ENHANCED ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES. DURING 2022, WE ALSO CONTINUED OUR REALIZING URBAN NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS (R-U-NBS) PROJECT, WHICH AIMS TO DEVELOP NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS TO WATER MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS AT THE SCALE OF AN ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD. SPECIFICALLY, IN THE MUKURU SETTLEMENT IN KENYA, WE IMPLEMENTED SEVERAL NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS AT A LOCAL SCHOOL, WHICH INCLUDED INSTALLING SCHOOL GARDENS AND CORRESPONDING DRAINAGE SOLUTIONS.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJan 1, 2022 – Dec 31, 2022Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$1.2MCommunity Vision Planning
OUR WORK ALSO IMPACTED SEVERAL OTHER STATES IN THE US. IN ALASKA, WE COMPLETED WORK ON DEVELOPING A AAK'W VILLAGE ARTS AND CULTURAL NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN PROCESS IN JUNEAU, WORKING WITH LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS AND NATIVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. IN KANSAS, WE PARTNERED WITH THE WICHITA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AND THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT NONPROFIT EMPOWER, AND COMPLETED VAMOS NOMAR, A PROJECT TO DEVELOP VISION PLANS FOR WICHITA'S PREDOMINANTLY LATINO NORTH END NEIGHBORHOOD. THROUGH WORKSHOPS, ACTIVATIONS, AND LEADERSHIP DINNERS, WE DEVELOPED VISION PLANS FOR A PARK, THE 21ST STREET COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR, AND THE HISTORIC NOMAR PLAZA IN WICHITA. IN PENNSYLVANIA, WE OVERSAW THE BEGINNING OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE VARE RECREATION CENTER IN SOUTH PHILADELPHIA.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJan 1, 2022 – Dec 31, 2022Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$403.8K
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