Latest News And Updates
On February 19, 2022, The Youth Café is planning an event to address the informal housing challenge. The key partners in the event include; The Aga Khan University, University of the Fraser Valley, Innovative Governance of Large Urban Systems, UN-Habitat -Youth Café-Urban Economic Forum, and other private sector and community partners who focus on the informal youth housing challenge and its impact on young people.
The open call has global prizes. Selected finalists will receive seed funding (quantum subject to the needs of each project) to pilot their innovations in their communities, as well as research mentorship to help monitor and evaluate their projects, write research manuscripts, and disseminate their findings to a wider audience. Finalists will also be given the opportunity to have their projects recognized at international conferences and ceremonies.
On Tuesday the 11th of January 2022, The Youth Café members were thrilled to be part of another pre-mobile clinic meeting held at the Border Police Unit headquarters in Kanyonyoo, Kitui County. The US Army officials are initiating the mobile clinic project at the Border Police Unit headquarters to promote the Border Police Unit and the work they do for the communities around for better relations and collaborations between the police officers and members of the community.
The Youth Café recently met officials of the Royal Danish Embassy to discuss possible partnership areas as reflected in the Embassy's new strategic framework for the year 2021 to 2025. The meeting was attended by Embassy representatives including Makena Kirima- Programme Manager who is part of the docket of Access to Justice, Rule of Law and Peace, Security and Stability; Joseph Kimani Njuguna, a Programme Manager in the Democratic Governance department; Laura Balle Svenden, serving as an intern: as well as Richard Wambua and Jossie Nyamai who are part of the Embassy’s Advisory Youth Sounding Board in charge of Climate Action, Environment and Public Budgeting respectively. On the other hand, The Youth Café was represented by Willice Onyango, Maureen Amuhinda, Fredrick Wambua and Tabitha Wangechi.
On the 7th of December 2021, The Youth Café, in partnership with the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), US Embassy, was honored to hold a Civic Leadership Speakers Forum with youth leaders in civil society organizations such as Greenpeace Africa, Me and You For Her, National Youth Council, Scion Creative, Bold Impact Africa, Techwomen Kenya, Champion for SDGs among others at the American Corner Nairobi- Moi University. It was a 3-hour session with other youth leaders joining in virtually.
On December 9-10, 2021, President Biden will host the first of two Summits for Democracy. The Youth Café is delighted to be joining the Youth Town Hall during the Summit for Democracy. The Summit for Democracy will be a virtual event hosted by the President of the United States and joined by other Chiefs of State, Heads of Government, international and civil society organization leaders, and other governmental and non-governmental participants.
The Youth Café was honored to speak at the African Entrepreneurship Forum, that took place virtually on the 30th of November, 2021. The Youth Cafe’s Executive Director, Willice Onyango and a young entrepreneur from our network, Glodine Ndhlovu who is a young business woman and speaker from South Africa
The Youth Coordinating Committee for Elections having been launched with the obligation to enhance youth participation in the electoral process, it is imperative to enhance the capacity of this committee to be able to carry out its mandate as per the aspirations shared by the commission. The Y.C.C. draws its membership from youth focused and youth-serving organizations across the country and will use these existing structures to conduct voter education and mobilization of young people to register as voters ahead of the general elections in 2022.
On the 29th of November, the Executive Director of The Youth Café, Mr. Willice Onyango, spoke at a forum organized by Engage Jamii Initiatives in partnership with the US Embassy in Nairobi. The program focused on the “Role of Youth and Women in Peaceful Election Campaigns” in Kenya.
The Youth Cafe’s legal aid pro bono program ensures youths acquire the much needed legal aid and most importantly legal representation in court processes. The scope of pro bono work is wide, ranging from supporting research on law reforms, legal education to the public, to direct assistance with client legal cases such as assistance with lodging and filing forms, drafting legal documents, provision of legal counsel and client interviewing. Our pro bono program allows young lawyers to provide legal services to young people who would otherwise be deprived of legal representation.
