KOUNKUEY DESIGN INITIATIVE (KDI) is a non-profit design and community development organization, that partners with underserved communities in the US, Africa, and Latin America to physically transform communities and in the process, improve environmental, economic, and social quality of life. Begun in 2006, KDI is made up of architects, landscape architects, engineers, urban planners, and community organizers. KDI believes that participatory planning and design are key to sustainable development. By working collaboratively with communities from conception through implementation, we build on their ideas, enhance them with technical knowledge and design innovation, and connect them to extant resources. In doing so, KDI empowers communities to advocate for themselves and address the major physical, social, and economic challenges they face.