KAMUKUNJI YOUTH CONGRESS (KYC)
BACKGROUND
Founded in 2007, Kamukunji Youth Congress (KYC) is a dynamic youth initiative dedicated to improving the conditions and prospects of youth, particularly those in urban slums. KYC is an open and voluntary membership movement with a physical office located in the Pumwani slums, Kamukunji District, Nairobi County. Our founding mission remains steadfast: “To p
rovide a shared platform for youth to ensure the improvement of their position and condition and address the socio-economic and political disorders that continue to subject them to desperation, injustices, and inhumane living conditions.” KYC strives to promote and enable youth leadership, participation, and collective action as a means of fostering good governance, transformation, and youth development. Our goal is to expand the necessary spaces that address injustices, thereby promoting youth identity, dignity, and acknowledging their diverse socio-economic and political needs. CORE VALUES
To achieve our mission and vision, KYC is guided by the following core values and beliefs:
Professionalism: Service delivery will adhere to the highest professional standards, without bias towards gender, ethnicity, race, or any other consideration.
Integrity: We will perform our duties with the utmost integrity, in accordance with established rules and regulations.
Reliability: KYC pledges to be a dependable partner in addressing the needs of youth and the general public.
Knowledge: We will pursue knowledge for our members and strive to integrate technology into our operations and management processes.
Fairness: KYC will ensure fairness in all its endeavors.
Teamwork: We will involve all stakeholders in our activities.
Respect: We respect the innate potential and dignity of all youth to reshape their own lives.
Honesty, Transparency, and Accountability: We commit to honesty, transparency, and accountability in all our actions on behalf of youth. We will be open and willing to share information and account for all resources.
Volunteerism: KYC believes in giving back to the community through financial, moral, and professional support. STRATEGIES
Community mobilization
Information empowerment
Capacity building and development
Lobbying and advocacy
Guidance, counseling, and advice
Referral services
Partnership building
Networking and collaboration
Monitoring, evaluation, and documentation
Instituting legal proceedings when warranted
WHAT WE DO
We work inclusively and non-partisanly with youth to address social, economic, political, and governance issues affecting them. We provide practical assistance and support to youth seeking help with various issues. We aim to broaden participation and knowledge by strengthening civic and human rights education and focusing on issues of national importance. OUR CORE ACTIVITIES
Civic education at the community level
Community mobilization and organization
Training, workshops, and seminars
Dissemination of Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials
Research, documentation, and information dissemination on community issues
Lobbying and advocacy
Human rights education and school outreach
ACHIEVEMENTS
Our successful track record is a testament to our tireless commitment and ability to effectively:
Facilitate civic education in the community on human rights, the constitution, HIV/AIDS, the National Youth Convention, policy, and the environment. For instance, we have directly reached over 20,000 youth with human rights information. A baseline survey conducted by St. John’s in 2007 indicated that over 57% of residents are aware of their basic human rights.
Distribute over 10,000 volumes of Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials on National Youth Policy, human rights, child rights, women’s rights, governance, and building local democracy, sourced from various organizations.
Conduct consultative forums with youth, the Ministry of Youth Affairs (MOYAS), local administration, and community leaders, significantly improving the image of youth who were once seen as abrasive, confrontational, and radical. Currently, youth are involved in decision-making organs in Kamukunji District. Through our dedicated efforts, the community has developed a strong confidence in our movement, leading to an expanded clientele base that now includes other districts in Nairobi. We are recognized for our work and cooperate cordially with government and non-governmental institutions, community-based organizations, and civil society organizations in promoting youth.
