RISSEA Resource Centre

The Research institute of Swahili Studies of Eastern Africa (RISSEA) was borne out of a felt need and desire to coordinate Swahili scholarships.  Currently there is no Institution in Kenya and the Region that has assumed such a mandate even though great strides have been made by public universities and other institutions in the development of Kiswahili.

Similarly it is an established fact that the cradle of Kiswahili is in the Coast of Kenya, which as a Nation, Kenya should ideally be in the forefront in Swahili scholarship.

Please visit the website on http://rissea.org

Furthermore, NMK as the host Institution is ideally placed as it is the custodian of Kenya's cultural heritage.

In spite of the above credentials, there has been no full fledged Institution in Kenya and the region to function as the focal point of Swahili studies. RISSEA was therefore established to fill the conspicuous gap and need of Swahili experts and students.

Student at the Gede ruins,

With the spread and development of Kiswahili as the lingua franca of the region, the institute will be the reference point for governments, schools and institutions of higher learning. In Kenya for example there are moves to entrench Kiswahili to be the second official language in addition to English in the new constitutional dispensation (bilingualism).

In the region, the institute should serve as one of the reference platform for the proposed East African Swahili council. In a wider East African region kiswahili has the potential to serve as a medium of economical, political and social integration. This will have the effect of enhancing harmony and understanding among people of the region and beyond as envisaged in our vision 2030 and other planning documents.

Challenges

To ensure well coordinated, integrated and holistic research and studies on Swahili society.

There is a conspicuous gap of an institution that holistically coordinates Swahili studies in the region. Many researchers and students have problems in working among the swahili society. Hence RISSEA was established out of a felt need and desire to coordinate Swahili scholarship and act as a focal point for institutions with related interest.

Revitalizing Swahili art and craft through training

Due to modern and rapid forces of globalization and modernization authentic and traditional Swahili arts and craft are fast disappearing to the detriment of the pride and history of the Swahili. In order to counter this we need to revitalize Swahili arts and craft through training and employment creation.

Developing and operationalizing proper marketing strategies for our products and services.

The directorate will develop and launch authentic Swahili arts and craft products training and research programmes as well as Swahili cultural events/themes.

Lobbying and advocacy for formulation and implementation of appropriate RISSEA policies aimed at improving the directorate efficiency and effectiveness in research.

The institute will facilitate the development of appropriate policies and guidelines in the recognition and use of Swahili (including all the dialects) for educational, economical, political and social purposes. Kiswahili is poised to be a lingua franca of the region. The institute will also undertake translation services.

Promotion of partnership and collaboration with the local and international institutions on Swahili research and training.

The strategic focus

• Development and operationalization of effective research and training.
• Development and operationalization of an efficient and effective resource centre and special programmes.
• Development and operationalization of Swahili arts and craft unit.

RISSEA staff work in Swahili and English, primarily with local and international students and researchers, but also with other groups such as diplomats and UN staff, and people working for governments and public service institutions. Time will be spent living with a Swahili family, and or within Swahili people's environment.

VISION

To be a world class institution that undertakes Research and Training on Swahili society.

MISSION

To conduct research and training on the history, culture and language of the Swahili so as to enhance Swahili scholarship.