About KESI

Our Story

KESI — Knowledge Exchange for Social Impact — was founded on a straightforward observation: the people closest to social challenges often hold the deepest knowledge about how to solve them, yet they are rarely at the centre of the solutions that affect their lives.

Drawing on experience across the United Kingdom and Nigeria, KESI was established to address the persistent gap between knowledge and action. Too often, valuable knowledge remains locked in academic institutions, policy documents, and consultancy reports, never reaching the communities and practitioners who need it most. Meanwhile, the lived experience and practical wisdom of those communities is undervalued or ignored.

KESI exists to change this. We create the conditions for genuine knowledge exchange — not top-down knowledge transfer, but collaborative processes where all participants contribute, learn, and benefit. Our approach is rooted in the belief that lasting social change comes from people working together, learning by doing, and adapting solutions to their own contexts.

As we enter our 2026–2029 strategic period, KESI is growing from a set of founding principles into a formal, long-term organisation, building the structures and partnerships needed to sustain this work for years to come.

Values and Principles

Five principles guide everything we do at KESI.

Collaboration

We work with people, not on their behalf. Every programme, project, and partnership is shaped by the people involved. We believe the best outcomes emerge from genuine co-creation.

Learning Through Action

We learn by doing, reflecting, and adapting. Our programmes are designed around practical application, not passive instruction. Knowledge becomes meaningful when it is put to use.

Equity and Inclusion

We actively seek out and value diverse perspectives. We design our work to be accessible and welcoming to people of all backgrounds, and we challenge the power imbalances that exclude certain voices from decision-making.

Practical Impact

We focus on outcomes that matter. Every activity we undertake is aimed at creating tangible, positive change in people’s lives and communities. We measure our success by the difference we make, not just the activities we deliver.

Integrity

We are transparent about our work, honest about our challenges, and accountable to the communities we serve. We commit to non-extractive practice, ensuring that everyone who contributes to our work is recognised and valued.