Sheria Ya Vijana Project is an initiative designed to empower, engage, and connect young people in Kenya to take the lead in the green and digital transitions, while actively participating in policy design and decision-making processes.

• Country :Kenya
• Scope :Local Economic Development
• Beneficiaries: Population of the 2 targeted counties 5,794,465 people (Nairobi: 4,828,205 Kwale: 966,260)

• Project start date: April 2025
• Project end date: March 2028
• Partners
  • Lead: Barnfonden (BF)
  • Organisation of African Youth (OAY)
  • Action for Sustainability Initiative (AFOSI)
  • Stretchers Youth Organisation (SYO)
  • Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC)

 

• Funding Partner: European Union

The project contributes to strengthening the capacity and voice of Kenyan civil society, particularly youth-led organizations, as key actors in governance, accountability, and development. Through targeted support, the initiative promotes social and economic inclusion of youth in Nairobi and Kwale counties, equipping them with the skills, resources, and platforms needed to drive sustainable development.

The Context

Kenya’s growing youth population faces significant challenges in accessing decent employment, participating in governance, and adapting to rapidly evolving economic landscapes. The green and digital transitions offer untapped potential to address these issues, but young people are often excluded from meaningful engagement in these sectors. Sheria Ya Vijana! addresses these gaps by promoting youth participation in policy-making, supporting youth-led civil society, and fostering inclusive growth through targeted training and support in the green and digital economies.

Our intervention

1. Online Mapping of Youth Groups and Identification of Local Youth Forum Leaders 

SYO co-develops and circulates a mapping tool with OAY to identify active youth groups across Kwale and Nairobi.

• Leads mobilisation through county youth networks.
• Shortlists and interviews 40–60 candidates.
• Selects 30 committed youth leaders for Local Youth Forums.
• Onboarding
• Prepares selected leaders for governance roles through a 3-day training in advocacy and policy engagement.

2. Establishment & Strengthening of Local Youth Forums in Kwale

SYO coordinates the creation and running of six Local Youth Forums (one per sub-county), each with 15 members.

 Key responsibilities include:

• Meeting at least every two months to discuss green and digital transition issues.
• Supporting youth to draft reports and present policy concerns to county authorities.
• Conducting 8 monitoring visits to ensure forums participate in public spaces and influence policy debates.
• Running bi-annual advocacy planning sessions in each sub-county.
• Convening quarterly meetings for 30 youth leaders to strengthen their advocacy skills and strategies.

3. Meet-the-Decision-Makers Online Town Halls

SYO organises 7 quarterly online town halls featuring:

• MPs from the National Assembly, Nairobi County, and Kwale County Assembly.
• Youth forum leaders and influencers trained under the project.

These sessions allow young people to:

• Follow up on commitments made in earlier engagements.
• Raise concerns on social inclusion, green economy, digital opportunities, and county budgeting.
• Hold public leaders accountable through open digital dialogue.

4. Youth-Led Policy Labs – Kwale County

SYO leads the second-year Youth-Led Policy Workshop Series:

• A 5-day workshop creating five thematic research groups:
  1. Social inclusion
  2. Social accountability
  3. Business environment
  4. Green and digital economy
  5. Youth engagement in policy

• Provides six months of supervision per group with support from a research consultant.
  Ensures findings are presented to county authorities and integrated into public dialogues.

5. Capacity Building and Social Media Influencer Engagement

Together with AFOSI, SYO:

• Trains 40 youth influencers (Nairobi & Kwale) on responsible social media use, digital safety, content creation, and advocacy.
• Coordinates the development of a youth-driven social media strategy.
  Leads influencers in targeted online campaigns to mobilise youth around green and digital transition issues.

6. Youth-Led Awareness Campaigns

SYO drives quarterly campaigns in both counties through:

• Listening sessions with 30 youth and 5 policymakers.
• Mascots used during eight key events to draw attention to youth issues.
• Media engagements reaching at least 5,000 community members.
  Campaign themes focus on social inclusion, digital rights, green transition opportunities, and youth-friendly investment.

7. Integration of Creative Arts in Youth Mobilisation

SYO supports youth in expressing policy issues through:

• Digital art
• Photography
• Traditional painting
• Interactive community art sessions

These creative approaches help make advocacy accessible and engaging for wider youth audiences.

 

Target/direct beneficiaries 

• 30 youth leaders (15–29 years old) (50% women and at least 20% young persons with disabilities) selected to lead Local Youth Forums across the six sub-counties in Kwale. These include representatives of youth groups, community networks, and young people active in county-level advocacy.
• 90 members of Local Youth Forums (15 per sub-county), drawn from existing youth groups and grassroots youth networks, participating in regular engagements on governance, green and digital transition opportunities, and youth-inclusive policy processes.
• 30 youth leaders engaged in quarterly coordination and strategy meetings, strengthening their skills in advocacy, public participation, and social accountability.
• Youth participants in policy engagement spaces, including those attending the seven Meet-the-Decision-Makers online town halls, are ensuring young people have direct access to county and national decision-makers.
• 180 young people (15–29 years old) reached through listening sessions organised in both counties to gather youth perspectives and co-create messages for public awareness and policy engagement.
• 25 youth researchers are participating in the Youth-Led Policy Labs, forming five thematic research groups exploring social inclusion, business environment, social accountability, and opportunities in the green and digital economy.
• 40 social media influencers (selected from Kwale and Nairobi) trained in digital advocacy, online safety, responsible content creation, and youth-focused public messaging to amplify project visibility and engagement.