Kenya program details - Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps in KenyaHelping communities recover after post-election violenceIn December 2007, Kenya descended into politicalviolence following disputed presidential elections.Fueling the political clash were ethnic tensionsamong different tribes in the regions.While the violence has subsided, many of theunderlying causes of Kenya’s post-election crisisremain, including competition over land, extensivepoverty, widespread unemployment, politicalmanipulation of grievances and youth alienation.The upcoming 2013 election provides anopportunity for Kenyans to demonstrate that theyhave moved beyond 2007. Young Kenyans havewatched youth around the world take collectiveaction for the betterment of their countries and haveobserved that peaceful action can create change.Mercy Corps’ programs in Kenya are widespreadand varied, from working with youth to address theheart of conflict-causing issues to responding to thedrought crisis that has affected the Horn of Africa.Many young people believe that the formaleducation they received is not applicable in theworkforce, and they’re not sure what skillsemployers require. Our program aims to enhancetheir life skills and entrepreneurial skills -- includingeffective communication, leadership, decisionmakingand empathy -- through labor marketassessments and trainings.An innovative component of Yes Youth Can! is theyouth-led, youth-owned and youth-managed Tahidiinvestment fund, with $5 million for communitydevelopment grants and $5 million to capitalizeyouth-led banking institutions known as saving andcooperative organizations (SACCOs) so they canmake loans to youth-run micro-enterprises.All activities and projects of Yes Youth Can! are runby young people, and none of them take place inclassrooms. Youth learn by doing. They holdmeetings and elections, design constitutions, createboards and manage projects. They’re empoweredto vote – and held accountable by the young peoplethey represent.Young People Driving ChangeYes Youth Can! is an unprecedented youthempowerment program, funded by USAID, thatputs youth truly in the lead of their own and Kenya’sdevelopment. The core premise of the program isthat it is youth-led, youth-managed, and youthowned.With Yes Youth Can!, young Kenyans implementcommunity grants, network with their peersthroughout the country and increase their incomeand economic independence through jobs andmicroenterprise. Through this process, youthrecognize that they are in charge of transformingtheir society and can become catalysts fordevelopment in their communities.Team members engage youth in a training session as part of theYes Youth Can! program. Photo: Robin Wyatt for Mercy Corps.Mercy Corps is implementing Yes Youth Can! in sixgeographic regions that were most acutely affectedby post-election violence: the Rift Valley, the slumsof Nairobi, and the Central, Nyanza, Western andCoast regions. Over the course of three years,Mercy Corps will directly reach 1 million Kenyanyouth, empowering them to take control of theirown destinies.Working to Build PeaceMercy Corps is also implementing a two-year LocalEmpowerment for Peace program, known as LEAP

II, to advance recent peace building gains in theRift Valley. Our program aims to strengthen theability of local, district and provincial structures toaddress the causes of post-election violence andpromote sustainable peace and reconciliation.Mercy Corps is pursuing this goal by strengtheningsustainable mechanisms for conflict mitigation andreconciliation, supporting community dialogues andsupporting youth integration. LEAP II is alsoaddressing key causes of violence through youthleadership training, small scale cash-for-workcommunity reconstruction projects and incomegeneration activities.Financial Education for Youth GroupsMercy Corps is using funds from Western Union toprovide financial education to young people whoparticipate in self-help groups. Our goal is to helpyouth better manage the income they earn throughtheir group activities.To date, 600 youth in 26 groups have received firstleveltraining. Participants are already increasingtheir saving and improving their record-keeping andbudgeting practices. The next step of training –which will be made available to 1,200 young peoplein 51 self-help groups – will cover entrepreneurshipand more advanced financial education.Mercy Corps is providing clean water and access tofood to those affected by the drought. Mercy Corpsis also engaging in cash-for-work programs for foodinsecure households to purchase food and spur theeconomy by supporting local traders. Theseprograms inject cash into the economy and createtemporary employment for vulnerable communitymembers.Mercy Corps is also working to build resilience forthe future. Helping affected populations rebuild theirlivestock assets puts them in a better position torecover from future shocks. Once the crisisrecedes, safety net activities will be followed byactivities designed to improve livelihoods andresilience to shocks. Our goal is to help familiesbuild sustainable livelihoods, from a broader baseof activities, that will enable them to be selfsufficientin the future.CONTACTMedia Inquiriespress@mercycorps.orgMercy Corps U.S. Headquarters45 S.W. Ankeny StreetPortland, OR 97204503.896.5000800.292.3355mercycorps.orgLast year, Mercy Corps helped 19 million people turncrisis into opportunity.12-12Mercy Corps provides drought-affected communities with cleanwater, including this family in Adan Awale, Kenya. Photo: ErinGray/Mercy Corps.Emergency ResponseIn response to the drought and famine crisisaffecting northeastern Kenya, Mercy Corps isworking to address some of the most critical issuesnow and is helping rebuild for the future.