Karibu Magazine July 2022 (updated)

Voice of the Youth
Angel Munge
YOUTH CHAIRPERSON - LDSKCF
My name is Angel Munge and I
live in Luton, UK. I was born in
the UK, and my parents are firstgeneration
Kenyan migrants.
Growing upintheUnitedKingdomas
a British-Kenyan youth
carries many challenges. Some
Kenyan parents in the diaspora
often viewusasBritishwhilesomepeopleintheBritishcommunityviewus
as foreigners. It is
therefore very easy for a young
Kenyan person in the diaspora
to experience an identity crisis,
trying toforgetheirownidentityinsocietywhilstatthe
same time
seeking a bridge between two
different cultures and two different
generations. It isn’t easy!
Luton is a vibrant, diverse city
with diverse ethnicities and
cultures. The largeKenyan community
here has been integral
to ensuring that Kenyans do not
losetouch with their heritage.
Despite many positive aspects
ofgrowingupwithinsucha large
Kenyan community, there are
some negatives as well, a major
one being the lack of leadership
opportunities for the Kenyan
youth, especially the young
women. Leadership has largely
remained in the firm grip of
senior men within the community.
To facilitate change, LDSCKF
Youth is the first youth group in
the community to elevate the
youth as emerging leaders, using
practical strategies.
As current youth chair lady of
LDSKCF, I am responsible for
overseeing the youth leadership,
by liaising with the youth and
the rest of the community to
representtheir viewpoints and
concerns on issues, raise awareness
around key matters and
champion social change. I work
to bridge the gap between the
youth and the wider community.
Creating some difficult conversations
on important topics or
issuesthat affect the youth helps
to effectively communicate the
youth’s perspective in a waythat
members of the wider community
can understand.
The youth leadership team holds
regular meetings on the important
matters concerning the
youth. A major driving force of
youth leadership is ensuring that
all the youth are better off today
than they were yesterday. The
youth leadership encourages
the youth to be the best possible
versions of themselves to
helpraisethe next generation of
future leaders who are in touch
with their culture and heritage,
which is at the heart of what
they do.
Our founder Sally Grant has
created an opportunity for us to
be the best version of ourselves.
Our youth coordinator shares the
same ethosastheyouth.Heencourages
us that we deserve the
best and no limitation should be
placed on us. At LDSKCF Youth
we have had opportunities to
interact with our local Mayor, MP,
Councilor, Deputy Ambassador,
and theHighSheriff.Wehaverecentlygotanopportunitytobe
ambassadors of a podcast that
will be heard nationally. We
have various incentives for the
youths where if one achieves a
goal, a gift voucher is awarded.
We are proudto be part of the
LDSKCF Youth and the future
looks bright.
5TH EDITION | JULY 2022
21