Contact person: Executive Director, Mr. Shaban Varajab

Tel:+1-574-386-8256

E-mail: vshaban123@yahoo.com copy to: yscdn@yahoo.com

About YSCDN

Our Mission and Vision:

YSCDN is a registered youth led, adult supported non-profit Community Based Organization founded in

2008, with a view to work with at-risk rural based young population (in and out of school, aged 15-35

years ) from Kakamega County (in Western-Kenya) to empower and provide them with skills, resources,

mentor-ship and opportunities to develop their leadership, social responsibility, entrepreneurship and

networking necessary for them to live healthy, peacefully and become champions of positive social

change in their communities.

Our activities include organizing community issue based youth bunges/parliaments, Film screening and

debates, Sports, Theatre, music and Dance, mentorship, youth Seminars, conferences and camps, cultural

exchange visits, awareness raising campaigns, and vocational skills training. Through our activities young

people can express not only their pain, frustrations and challenges but also their hope and dreams for a

better future.

YSCDN is founded on the belief that youth are todays and future asset for any community; they have

first- hand experience with issues affecting them and their communities, have ideas and potential to make

social change. Therefore, the ultimate purpose of YSCDN is to create a safer environment where the

welfare and productivity of the youth is promoted. Seeing youth tell their change stories as a result of our

intervention is what we desire. We are inspired by how far the youth go to revive their own lives and that

of their communities, to gain support and to become leaders of their community.

Why we focus on youth in kakemga:

Like other parts of Kenya, youth in Kakamega County are part of the broader section in the demographic

pyramid of the country, but they continue to bear the heaviest social, economic and political burden, play

a minimal role as far as decision making processes and development issues are concerned. Over 55% of

these youth face these challenges because of limited access to resources, healthcare, education, training,

recreation, empowerment, employment and economic opportunities. This is worse in rural areas where

most youth are excluded from opportunities and the world. Youth in Kakamega form part of a vast

resource but are often treated as a constituency that needs to be managed, instead of engaged and

supported to play an influential role in their communities. YSCDN recognize that with empowerment,

young people in all corners (rural and urban) are a major resource for development and positive social

change and that their ideals, energy and vision are essential for the continuing development of their

societies and lives. With guidance young people are dedicated, enthusiastic and creative to contribute to

development by addressing society’s most challenging issues. This is why we focus and work with youth

in rural parts of Kakamega.

Our program pillars:

1-Youth leadership and governance: We envision a situation where young people are informed,

empowered and involved for the transformation of the community, society and nation. Our programs seek

to arouse civil and political interest amongst young people by providing them with skills, training and

information on their human rights and responsibility, voting, political structures, voter rights and

responsibilities, leadership and integrity, rule of law, social auditing skills and their role as youth before,

during and beyond election period.

2-Youth Economic Empowerment: We focus on youth employment and economic empowerment

programs providing youth with the necessary skills and knowledge they require so that they can actively

participate in the new competitive economy through an emphasis on life-skills, entrepreneurship, job-

search, networking, information technology and financial independence skills.

3-Youth Health Awareness program: We are a vessel that strategically prepares youth to lead healthy

lives by providing them with the knowledge and personal skills needed to make informed and healthy

choices especially on Sexual reproductive Health issues and drug and substance abuse problems.

4-Environment stewardship program: We endeavor to counteract environment injustices by creating

awareness, educating and involving young people as well as providing them with basic knowledge and

tools needed to become conscious global environmental stewards who can stand up for their rights to see

a clean and safe environment.

5-Youth education and mentorship program: Youth Education in Kenya is faced with many puzzles

which still stands unanswered including accessibility, the quality of skills, knowledge and values to be

successful individuals and leaders of this competitive and dynamic economy and the future to come.

Because of these challenges we are committed to provide alternative education support and mentorship

programs for in and out of school youth to equip them with the skills they need for survival transition as

well as make them constructive citizens and change agents in their community.

Partners: YSCDN values the strength of multi-sectoral partnership. In our programs, we collaborate with

Government ministries, elders, faith leaders, CBOS, youth and women groups, NGOS, INGOS, police,

judiciary, health centres, artists, journalists, educational institutions(primary schools, high schools,

colleges and universities).