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Showing posts from August, 2020

Champion spotlight

 As we continue to feature our youth volunteers and highlight the incredible contributions they continue to make in the community, take a look at some of our youth champions featured in the previous weeks. WANJIRU MBUGUA Background and passion Wanjiru has an academic background in Gender and Development Studies and Project Management. She is an avid believer in humanity and passionate about matters social justice and inclusion, youth advocacy and governance, human rights, inclusive education, gender equality and development agenda. Leadership She is currently a Programs Coordinator at The Action Foundation, an award-winning youth-led NGO that works with communities, organizations, local and international bodies to end exclusion, discrimination and violence against children, women and girls with disabilities in marginalized areas. Mbugua has previously been a lead trainer for USAID-funded Kenya Youth Employment and Skills (K-YES) project with Research Triangle Institute (RTI...

Why Do We Need Youth Engagement for Development?

Youth represent the most copious asset Kenya has or will have over the near future. Surveys and reports continue to show that there are persistent risks and challenges facing Kenyan youth.  The youth are and will remain to be a significant share of the Kenya’s population, this means that, failure to provide appropriate opportunities for this large section of the population will lead to continued enormous economic, political, cultural and social consequences. Worse still, Kenya may not be able to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that it intends to achieve by 2030.  Developing and implementing appropriate strategies to mitigate the risks and challenges youth face needs to be more of a priority for the government and other relevant stakeholders than it currently is. We are in taxing times, with the COVID-19 pandemic pulling down the world population and resulting to effects such as; increases in gender-based violence (GBV) in lock-down, unintended pregnancies, t...

Nairobi Youth on the Move to Combat COVID-19

The current season has tested humanity as a whole. In spite of the happenings, Covid-19 has renewed our thinking, if not our way of life. What stands out is the resilience that has been renewed in this unprecedented time, and the positive spirit of volunteering by youth in different communities. Ever wondered why you need to be actively engaged in creating change as a young person? But how do you engage when a crisis threatens not only the economy but also everyone’s life? Do you know that one good deed from you can build us back better? It is important to know that the achievement of this is only possible through awareness, understanding and most importantly action. Yes! We. Must. Act! Youth are worried A lot has happened, the good and bad, well… mostly bad. Youth are worried about many things in this period, and joblessness, mental health following loss of jobs due to various government restrictions and a rise in domestic disputes and gender based violence seem to be the greatest co...

Champion spotlight-Pioneer

  At YSD-Nairobi, we have decided to highlight our volunteers who are the champions in the community. Their contributions to making the communities better places is notable and worth sharing with the world. Beginning August 2020, we will be featuring one champion weekly as a way of shining our light on them. Mercy Thayo, our media correspondent, talked to our founding Chairperson Mr. Kenneth Ramah to answer a few questions regarding his passion and leadership experience. Have a look, enjoy! Kenneth Ramah-YSD Nairobi Chapter Founding Chairperson Name: Kenneth Ramah Area of interest: Resilient Livelihoods, Social Inclusion and Gender, and Climate Action   1.       Tell us more about your background I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Planning and Management from Kenyatta University. I have volunteered in the International Citizen Service project with VSO and Balloon Ventures from August 2016 to December 2017, serving as a volunteer and ...