Kenya Union of the Blind

Disability Advocacy and Member Serviceskub.or.ke

Kenya Union of the Blind is a Kenyan nonprofit established in 1960 that advocates for and empowers blind and partially sighted persons through IT training, education, microfinance, sports, and savings cooperative services, funded by membership fees, donations, and member loan interest.

Company typePrivate
Founded1960
HeadquartersNairobi, Kenya
Headcount11–50
GTM typeB2C
OfferingServices

What Kenya Union of the Blind does

Kenya Union of the Blind (KUB) is a Kenyan non-governmental organization established in 1960 under the Societies' Ordinance Act of 1952, recognized as the official national body representing blind and partially sighted persons in Kenya. Headquartered at KUB House in Embakasi, Nairobi, the organization delivers a multi-program portfolio spanning IT Technologies Training, Blind Children Education Support, Economic Empowerment, Blind Sports/Arts & Talent Promotions, Blind Women Empowerment, Blind Youth Mentorship, Advocacy, and Membership & Branch Development. Strategic priorities are set at the General Assembly convened every four years and operationalized through committees and working groups under the KUB Strategic Plan.

The organization also operates a member-owned savings and credit cooperative offering eight loan products tailored to visually impaired members: Development Loan (up to Ksh 5 million), Emergency Loan, Jijenge, Jiinue, Jitegemee, Advance, Special Loan Product, and Phone-Lap (Electronics), with interest charged on reducing-balance terms. Distribution is branch-based across Kenya, supplemented by a national volunteer network ranging from full-time to on-need engagements, an open-door policy for member services, and global partnerships with the World Blind Union, ADA, PSIPSE, Sight Aid Foundation, Partnership for Wall of Love, and the Changa crowdfunding platform.

Revenue is generated through three channels: recurring membership contributions, unit-priced donations (notably the Adopt a White Cane campaign at KES 2,000 per mobility cane targeting 100,000+ canes and a COVID-19 Fund for the Blind targeting 50,000 beneficiaries), and interest income on member loans. Donations are accepted globally via a PayPal-powered online portal at preset tiers ($10–$100) plus custom amounts. No financials, headcount growth metrics, or revenue figures are disclosed.

Kenya Union of the Blind firmographics

Firmographics

Name: Kenya Union of the Blind
Legal name: Kenya Union of the Blind
Website: https://kub.or.ke
Company type: Private
Founded year: 1960
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 11–50 employees
Short description: Kenya Union of the Blind is a Kenyan nonprofit established in 1960 that advocates for and empowers blind and partially sighted persons through IT training, education, microfinance, sports, and savings cooperative services, funded by membership fees, donations, and member loan interest.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Kenya Union of the Blind industry classification

Industry

Product category: Disability Advocacy and Member Services
NAICS: Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Professional Organizations (81392)
SIC: Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Savings Institutions, Not Federally Chartered (6036)
akta.pro primary industry: Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAH)
akta.pro secondary industries: Assistive Technology (AT) & AAC Services (EDAJAKAF), Disability Employment & Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Programs (EDAAAOAI)

Keywords

Disability advocacy services
Visual impairment support
Assistive technology training
Microfinance cooperative
Member welfare programs

Where Kenya Union of the Blind is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Nairobi
HQ country: Kenya
HQ region: Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

Kenya Union of the Blind business model

Business model

GTM type: B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

Membership Contributions: Members contribute to the organization through membership fees, which fund various programs and savings products
Donations and Fundraising: The organization accepts donations including the 'Adopt a White Cane' campaign where donors contribute KES 2000 per mobility cane, and COVID-19 fund donations
Microfinance/Savings Products: KUB provides various loan products to members including Development Loans (up to Ksh 5 Million), Emergency Loans, Jijenge Loans, Jiinue Loans, Jitegemee Loans, and Special Loan Products, generating interest income on reducing balances

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
Unit Pricing	Pay-as-you-go	Adopt a White Cane Campaign donation

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Kenya Union of the Blind product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Kenya Union of the Blind (KUB) is a nonprofit membership organization established in 1960 that advocates for the rights and welfare of blind and partially sighted persons in Kenya. It delivers accessible IT training, education support, economic empowerment programs, and sports and recreation activities, and operates a Savings and Credit Cooperative (SACCO) that provides savings and multiple loan products (including development, school fees, business, emergency, and agricultural loans) to its members.

Product overview

Kenya Union of the Blind (KUB) is a non-governmental organization established in 1960 that operates as a savings and credit cooperative alongside providing advocacy and support programs for persons with visual impairments. The organization offers a portfolio of 8 member loan products (Advance, Emergency Loan, Jiinue Loan, Jijenge Loan, Development Loan, Jitegemee Loan, Phone-Lap/Electronics, and Special Loan Product) designed for members with visual impairments to access financial services. Complementing the financial products are 8 core programs covering IT Technologies Training, Blind Children Education Support, Economic Empowerment, Blind Sports/Arts & Talent Promotions, Blind Women Empowerment, Blind Youth Mentorship, Advocacy, and Membership & Branch Development. The loan products function as a cooperative savings system where members contribute savings to access credit facilities with various repayment terms and interest structures.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

50,000 blind people targeted for COVID-19 food relief
+1 more outcomes

Companies that use Kenya Union of the Blind

Customer profile

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Kenya Union of the Blind technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Kenya Union of the Blind partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

World Blind Union (WBU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal partnership connecting KUB to the international blindness community, enabling participation in regional and international events, General Assemblies, and global advocacy efforts at the United Nations level
ADA (American with Disabilities Act Organization)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership focused on disability rights advocacy and accessibility standards, supporting KUB's mission to promote inclusion of persons with visual impairments
PSIPSEmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting KUB's programs for persons with visual impairments in Kenya
SAF (Sight Aid Foundation)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation partnership supporting sight-related initiatives and accessibility programs
Partnership for Wall of Love (PWL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting blind women empowerment programs
Changa platformminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCrowdfunding platform partnership enabling donations to COVID-19 Fund for the Blind

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Kenya Union of the Blind competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Broad incumbents

National Federation of the Blind (NFB): US-based membership organization of blind Americans focused on advocacy, education, and technology access. Closely aligned with KUB's community-led, membership-driven model and policy-advocacy orientation.
CBM (Christian Blind Mission): International disability-focused INGO active across Africa and Asia on inclusive eye health, education, and community-based rehabilitation. Comparable in targeting disability inclusion and inclusive development, with substantial Kenya presence.
Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB): UK's leading sight-loss charity with a comprehensive portfolio of advocacy, services, and products for blind and partially sighted people. Comparable mission and program breadth, but operating at much larger scale in a developed market.
Light for the World: European INGO supporting inclusive eye health, education, and economic empowerment for persons with disabilities across Africa and Asia. Comparable programmatic mix to KUB, with funding capacity well beyond a national NGO.
Sightsavers: International NGO working in 30+ low- and middle-income countries on avoidable blindness, disability rights, and inclusive education. Shares KUB's mission and target beneficiary population, with established Kenya programming that could partner or compete.

Direct peers

African Union of the Blind (AFUB): Continental-level federation of national organizations of the blind across Africa. Directly comparable as a peer umbrella body to KUB's national mandate, sharing members and advocacy priorities at regional level.
World Blind Union (WBU): Global representative organization of persons with visual impairments. KUB is explicitly affiliated with WBU, and WBU sets the international advocacy and policy agenda that KUB operationalizes at the national level.
Kenya Society for the Blind: Domestic Kenyan NGO providing eye care, rehabilitation, and community-based services for visually impaired persons. Operates in the same geography and beneficiary base as KUB, with overlapping programmatic focus areas.

Emerging players

Sense International: International NGO supporting people with deafblindness and complex disabilities, including in East Africa. Adjacent in beneficiary population and programmatic focus on assistive technology and inclusive education.
National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), Kenya: Kenyan government parastatal coordinating disability affairs nationally. Overlaps with KUB's advocacy mandate on inclusive legislation but covers all disability categories, making it a broader competitor for policy attention and donor funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Kenya Union of the Blind financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Kenya Union of the Blind leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Kenya Union of the Blind funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Kenya Union of the Blind M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kenya Union of the Blind

What does Kenya Union of the Blind do?

Is Kenya Union of the Blind a public or private company?

Kenya Union of the Blind is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.

When was Kenya Union of the Blind founded?

Kenya Union of the Blind was founded in 1960. It employs 11 to 50 people.

Where is Kenya Union of the Blind based?

Kenya Union of the Blind is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, in the Africa region.

How does Kenya Union of the Blind make money?

Three revenue lines are on record. Membership Contributions are the primary driver. The others are donations and Fundraising and microfinance/Savings Products.

Who are Kenya Union of the Blind's main competitors?

Broad incumbents on record are National Federation of the Blind (NFB), CBM (Christian Blind Mission), Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), Light for the World and Sightsavers. Direct peers are African Union of the Blind (AFUB), World Blind Union (WBU) and Kenya Society for the Blind. Emerging players are Sense International and National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), Kenya.

Does Kenya Union of the Blind have an API?

No public API is recorded for Kenya Union of the Blind.

What industry is Kenya Union of the Blind in?

Kenya Union of the Blind's product category is Disability Advocacy and Member Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAH, Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits, with a secondary code of EDAJAKAF, Assistive Technology (AT) & AAC Services. Its NAICS code is 8133 and its SIC code is 8600.