Latest News And Updates
The Youth Cafe is developing its first iteration of the African Youth Development Index (AYDI) 2024, focusing on youth development in the continent. The relentless spirit of African youth has inspired this initiative and aims to provide an in-depth assessment of the youth's progress, challenges, and success stories. The AYDI 2024 showcases a keen focus on areas such as education, health, employment, civic participation, and environmental engagement.
The basis for the prioritization of youth development is rooted in Our Strategic Plan, which looks at today's youth bulge as an opportunity for development and economic growth. The prioritization of youth development has made The Youth Café the leading organization in realizing sizable, lasting, and positive changes in the lives of young people in Africa. Youthful audacity to dream big and execute those dreams is essential in tackling Africa's daunting challenges today. Fostered by grassroots knowledge, The Youth Café commits to reducing youth deprivation and socio-economic empowerment resulting in transformative change.
On the 19th of January 2022, The Youth Café got admission as the newest and only member in East and Central Africa to Democracy R&D. Democracy R&D is an international network of organizations, associations, and individuals helping decision-makers take hard decisions and build public trust. The Youth Café had been interviewed on the 10th of January and on behalf of the coordination group, David Schecter, proposed The Youth Café as a new organizational member of Democracy R&D, where the proposal was met with no objections.
The Youth Café, in its mandate to safeguard the public's interest, is investing in different policy interventions that have a direct bearing on the citizens, and accountability of the Kenyan Government. The 2022 elections are viewed as a moment to raise the integrity bar and root corrupt leaders out of office. During the past few years, corruption has increased significantly in the country. The whole idea of corruption has been ethnicized and politicized, allowing leaders and Kenyan citizens today to disregard the question of accountability, and as a result, we have performed poorly in the fight against corruption.
The Youth Café is partnering with One Young World to promote the Enterprise for Peace Scholarship for 2022 for delegates to participate in the global Summit around creating youth employment opportunities for prosperous and peaceful societies. The One Young World Summit 2022 will see 2,000 young leaders from 190+ countries descend to Tokyo for the global forum for young leaders. During the Summit, delegates will present and debate solutions to our time’s most pressing issues alongside senior leaders.
The Youth Café was privileged to have been invited to take part in this year’s Babacar Ndiaye Lecture, which took place virtually on Wednesday, 20 October 2021 at 4:00 p.m. Nairobi Time. This year's keynote lecture was under the theme "The importance of science, technology and innovation in the transformation of African economies under the AfCFTA" and was delivered by Prof. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, first female President of Mauritius and 2007 laureate of the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards.
On the 22nd of July 2021, the European Union held a consultation session with Kenyan youth representative organizations, with The Youth Café as a participant. Through the participation of this survey, the EU stated that participation in this survey can assist in the elaboration of their strategy in supporting Kenyan youth.
In 2021, The Youth Café is prioritizing inclusive development to make sure that more young people benefit from economic growth and development. We aim to reduce poverty and inequality, in both income and non-income dimensions. In line with this vision, The Youth Café is piloting a Financial Literacy Intervention Program for youth.
The Youth Café recently made and entered into a Memorandum of Understanding agreement with GiveDirectly Inc., thereby forming a partnership between the two organizations. The purpose of this partnership is to contribute to enhanced economic empowerment within identified locations of Nairobi and ultimate eradication of poverty which in turn will positively impact the lives of the beneficiaries and communities. This program focuses on the disbursement of emergency grants (cash grants) by GiveDirectly to people mainly living in informal settlements in Kenya in which The Youth Café currently works. As a result of this partnership, thousands of youths have been able to benefit from this program where they each received a disbursement of $30 for 4 months.
