On Thursday March 3 2011, the US ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger launched the Yes Youth can initiative for the youth of Kilifi County. The colourfull event was held at St. Luke’s Hospital grounds in Kaloleni and was attended by US government representatives, Kaloleni Member of Parliament, youth representatives from Kilifi county constituencies of Magarini, Malindi, Ganze, Bahari and the host Kaloleni.
In his speech the US Ambassador said that he had come to talk to youth of Kilifi County on very special issues of youth. “My Mission was very important and was to launch ‘Yes Youth Can’ initiative which has to empower youth” Said the Ambassador. The Yes Youth Can initiative has a purpose to address on the 2008 post election crisis where youth were manipulated. The initiative will address on issues of impunity, negative ethnicity and progressive poverty.
Kilifi youth engaged in Boda boda transport business as a source of income.
Ranneberger said that US was a friend of Kenya, and that’s why helped Kenya in the formation of coalition government and now are extending support to youth through the “Yes Youth Can” initiative. The $45-million USAID program aims to encourage youth voice, youth entrepreneurship, and youth leadership. It will:
- Support quick-impact projects to promote youth voices on national issues, particularly the reform process, through independent grassroots organizations and activities
- Build new skills in youth leadership and entrepreneurship
- Establish a youth-led and managed Innovate for Change Fund that promotes economic opportunities in their own communities
- Support and expand youth networks to encourage collaboration and leverage resources
- Improve the enabling environment for youth enterprises and organizations.
The guiding principles of Yes Youth Can!
- Youth in the driver’s seat
- Transparency through agreed upon rules of engagement
- Active youth engagement in program decisions, including the Innovate for Change Fund
- Learning by doing
- Leverage knowledge and resources through partnership.
Kilifi County is an area that saw a rise in gangs and gang related violence during post-election violence of 2007-2008. In this case, the National Cooperative Business Association’s (NCBA) CLUSA International has been granted $2.5 million to administer the project in Coast Province under the USAID/Kenya Yes Youth Can program. In two year project, CLUSA International will partner with two national NGOs, Youth Foundation of Kenya (YFK) and Participatory Approaches for Integrated Development (PAFID)
3 Comments
We have formed a youth group called ABO FOUNDATION here in nakuru and we would wish to partner with you please get back to me
we have a youth CBO of kilifi county, projects in mind, youth at large bt no money in hand…let the funds reach us we need assistance
MALINDI GENDER HEALTH AND EDUCATION PROGRAM, (MAGHEP)
P.O. BOX 2045 MALINDI, 80200 KENYA
Email: maghep07@yahoo.com
PROFILE
INTRODUCTION
Malindi Gender Health and Education program (MAGHEP) is a community based organization Registered with the Kenya Department of Social Services (Registration No. is SS / MLD / CD/534/2007). It is managed by a Board of Directors comprising of the chairlady, the secretary and Treasurer and 5 other members.
Its mission is empowering the community for future development and the vision is to have an empowered community that supports access to basic education for all, completion and successful transition to higher levels through sustainable programs e.g. Irrigation fade agriculture that would make resources available for educating children
Since its establishment, MAGHEP in collaboration with other like-minded stakeholders has been undertaking community sensitization on the early sexual behaviors among the school going children and effects of teenage pregnancies on the development of a society. MAGHEP has supported Education for Marginalized Children in Kenya (EMACK) programme to conduct trainings/facilitation on formation of Girls Forums and whole school approach that result to formation of school development plan. These forums have been initiated in 55 schools in nine Districts (Malindi, Lamu, Tana River, Kilifi, Msambweni, Voi, Taita taveta and Mombasa).
In the last three years, MAGHEP:
• has held talks with adolescent girls and their parents in three primary schools i.e. Malanga, Maduguni and Maziwani schools(supported by Magarini Initiative for Community Development(MICODE)
• Through the financial support from EMACK, MAGHEP members have so far been able to carry out whole school approach training and development of school development plan in 47 schools.
• Girls’ forums trainings in 47 schools in Kilifi and Malindi district.
• It has also carried out girls forums guidelines training in 55 schools in six Districts of Coast Province.
SHORT FALLS
Due to the need and interest for Girls Forums Training from teachers of rural schools in Malindi district, Initially MAGHEP activities, planning and implementation is increasing and the organization has limited resources for the projects increasing activities.
The organization is currently looking for likeminded organization to partner with in implementing the activities.