The National Kidney Foundation of South Africa is a fully-participating member country of the IFKF. The IFKF's history reads as follows:

During the American Society of Nephrology and the US National Kidney Foundation Meetings, held in Philadelphia in 1998, Dr Joel D Kopple, then President of the NKF, invited representatives of kidney foundations from around the world to attend discussion groups to “explore whether there was a role for an international umbrella organisation, and what form such an organisation would take.”

The first President of the IFKF, Dr Joel D Kopple said “probably the single most important thing the IFKF could do was to facilitate the establishment of more kidney foundations in areas where there are none, and to help existing foundations become more vibrant, dynamic and effective.”

Mission statement – of the IFKF

The International Federation of Kidney Foundations is to foster international collaboration and exchange of ideas that will improve the health, well-being and quality of life of individuals with kidney disease.

The scope of the activities of the Federation includes:

1. Advocacy for improved heal care delivery
2. Adoption and dissemination of standards of the best practice of treatment and care
3. Facilitation of educational programmes for members’ organisations
4. Promotion of research
5. Communication with other organisations
6. Exchange of ideas concerning fund-raising

The IFKF will assist with establishing kidney foundations in countries where they do not currently exist.