This project will use social media to enlighten the youth on the benefits of making informed choices and the best ways through which they can engage politicians in order to safeguard their future. Through radio talk shows, the youth will be engaged on discussions aimed at empowering them on national development agenda. Resolutions on youth participation in development initiatives will be drafted,uploaded online and shared with the policy makers.
Topical focus:
Country:
What locality or neighborhood will your project focus on?
Nairobi
Describe the specific community with whom you will be working.
The project targets youth from 4 Kenyan regions numbering about 567, 000, 4 media groups and policy makers. The 2007 Post Election Violence analysis reveals that politicians organized and exploited the youth whom they later discarded after the elections. Youth exploitation by politicians is rife in Kenya because of high unemployment rates and lack of means to access the internet through which they can easily advocate for their political rights.
What kinds of news, stories and other content will be created?
The project will produce media clips with discussions on ethnicity, patronage politics, party principles and manifestos, democratic discipline, constitution, public spending and budgets, political violence and youth responsibilities in a democratic process. A position paper on how the youth wish to be involved in governance programmes will be drafted, published and resolutions uploaded online and aired out on national Radio and Television.
What technologies and digital tools do you plan to use in the trainings?
Other tools
Media response clips will be procured from the contracted media houses.
Describe the connections that you or your organization have already established that will contribute to the success of the project.
We have an existing partnership with one of the local Radio’s in Western Kenya through which we air issues affecting the local youth. We also plan to contract the services of three other media houses for a wider reach of the youth in other parts of the country. In addition, plans are underway to enlist the support of youth officers and experts who will facilitate the whole process of understanding the role of youth in democracy.
How many participants do you think will be involved in your project?
As a nationwide campaign, we expect a total of 500,000 Kenyan youth to be trained and empowered on the country’s democratic principles. Media organizations and policy makers will also gain insights on how to address youth specific issues. For a maximum participation, three talk shows will be scheduled for each of the target community and will be open to all listeners who will call in and participate in the discussions.
Besides the microgrant funding, what other resources and support are you seeking for your project to ensure its success?
We will need support in contracting an external evaluator who will attend the meetings, speak with the participants; review the records of the participants and media coverage so as to form an opinion of the efficiency, effectiveness and impact of the project. The external evaluator will also ascertain how gender has been handled in the project and whether there was a differential impact of project activities on the plight of Kenyan youth.
Contact name
Lucas Nyang'ori
Organization
Indigenous Peoples Charity