Yes Youth Can – Western
What is Yes Youth Can Western?
Yes Youth Can Western is a youth program that improves the social and economic status of youth in Western Province, Kenya. The program empowers Kenyan youth to exhibit leadership in peace building, social service, and economic prosperity for holistic community development.
Where does Yes Youth Can Western work?
Yes Youth Can Western works with youth in 33 constituencies within the four counties of Western Province, namely, Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega and Vihiga.
Who implements Yes Youth Can Western?
Winrock International (WI) in partnership with the Western County and village bunge networks.
www.winrock.org
www.nybakenya.org
Project Duration and Budget
February 2011 – November 2013
$3.1 million
What does the Yes Youth Can Western do?
Youth mobilize and organize themselves as legitimate organizations at village and county levels. These organizations promote youth voices in constituency, county, region and national policy dialogues.
Yes Youth Can Western leverages public-private partnerships to provide new livelihood opportunities for youth. The project improves access to youth-friendly services, and uses a gender-focused approach in monitoring and evaluating to ensure both women and men benefit equally.
How is Yes Youth Can Western making a difference?
Yes Youth Can Western is supporting youth to mobilize and organize themselves at the village level with elected representation at the county level.
Village youth bunges have, through elected representation, established four County Youth Forum networks that link with other County Youth Networks at the national level.
The networks of youth bunges provide excellent structures to enhance rural development. The number of village youth bunges is currently at 3,562 and increasing across the region.
What key challenges does Yes Youth Can Western face?
Youth, as partners, are looking for quick solutions for immediate monetary gains – this perspective can often result in frustration. Yes Youth Can Western manages youth expectations and supports them in approaching business opportunities realistically.
Yes Youth Can Western in actionHussein Musa is the bread winner of his family. At only 21years old, he caters for his family through an initiative started by his youth bunge. Inuka Mission Bunge has assisted a number of village youth members to earn their livelihoods. Through the help of Yes Youth Can Western, the youth from the bunge were able to start a plastic recycling venture.The recycled plastic can later be sold off as plaques, ornaments and football trophies. With the money I make I am able to assist my family make ends meet,” says Musa the Village Youth Bunge (VYB) President. Through this venture the youth are able to clean up their town of Mumias in Western province, Kenya. Under the G-inue talent explosion held at Masinde Muliro University, they participated in an exhibition on waste management and clinched first position and were awarded the adjudicators award for the most innovative exhibition.The group which comprises of 56 youth (32 female and 24 male) have opened a savings account where they save the money they receive from their ventures. Their savings have enabled them to jumpstart various projects including renting out farms and selling their farm produce mostly maize and bananas which they cultivate. Citing that this year is an election year, the youth of Mumias have vowed not to be used by politicians to cause havoc and mayhem in their area. Most have horrific memories of the 2007/08 post-election violence where they incurred huge losses. For the youth in the Inuka Mission Bunge they are working towards coming up with yet another cutting edge innovation. |
For more information:
Dwaine Lee, Director
USAID/Kenya
Office of Education and Youth
Tel: +254 20 862 2000
Email: dlee@usaid.gov
Rosemary Wanjala
USAID/Kenya
Office of Education and Youth
Email: rwanjala@usaid.gov
Martha Momanyi
Project Director
Yes Youth Can Project, Western
Tel: +254 722 408 146
Email: mmomanyi@field.winrock.org
