The Children and Youth Empowerment Centre opened the Rathithi Polytechnic in the fall of 2019 to serve high school graduates from the CYEC and related programs. The exceptionally high rates of unemployment (and underemployment) for young people in Kenya, which is even higher for the demographic that CYEC serves, means there is need for special effort to ensure our young people are prepared for their futures. A well-thought-out skills development program, which the polytechnic is putting in place, is a key component of such a program.
Housed on 15 acres, the polytechnic serves 52 learners. Programs include catering, tailoring, computing, masonry, agriculture and life-skills and leadership. Like all of the Centre's programs, the polytechnic is focused on forward-looking community development, sustainability and empowerment.
Provision of practical knowledge is a central component of any significant empowerment effort. For ordinary skills training institutions, such know-how is focused on helping individuals find employment. For the CYEC’s polytechnic program however, there is a keen appreciation of the need to use its skills development program for the empowerment and sustainable development of the broader community. This is a key component of any long-term solution to the challenges that have made the CYEC program necessary.
Even while preparing its learners for marketable competencies, the polytechnic is focused on developing 21st century training programs that contribute to sustainable community empowerment. These programs include conservation agriculture, waste management, renewable energy solutions and non-timber-based building.
The socio-economic backgrounds of the learners at the polytechnic are such that program sustainability is an issue of critical importance. This means that learning facilities are best utilized for production as well. For example, those in the agriculture program are expected to produce food for the polytechnic’s kitchen, while those learning catering are expected to cook for all. The same is true for the other programs. The polytechnic’s facilities, with time, are expected to start generating income.
For the polytechnic to serve as an effective means of community empowerment, the students need to be self-aware and have leadership competencies. This is why life-skills and leadership training are an integral part of the polytechnic’s training program. The aim of this initiative is to enable learners to see themselves not as victims of circumstances beyond their control but as agents of positive change for their communities.
Your support will enable us to build critical infrastructure and purchase equipment for our new polytechnic so our young people can be positive agents of change in their communities!
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The Children and Youth Empowerment Centre, like the rest of the world, is facing both a health and an economic crisis. The shuttering of the Kenyan economy dried up their local sources of support and resulted in most of their ‘graduates’ losing their jobs. Rather than turn inward and ‘pull up the drawbridge,’ the CYEC has responded by reaching out to the community and taking in more children in need. They have received more than 30 additional young people, and they continue to provide medical care to the local community.
As noted by Paul Maina, founder of the CYEC, “Refusing to accept the children would signal withdrawal from the community’s struggle; it would be a succumbing to fear, understandable though this may be. Accepting the children at such a time signals commitment to the future of the community. It is an act of faith in times to come. As with any act of faith, there is not much for reassurance about the future. It is the commitment itself, and the will to succeed that comes from such commitment, that is the reassurance.”
Please join in this commitment to our shared future by supporting the work of the CYEC as you are able.
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These are unsettled and unsettling times for all of us. We're reminded of how we're connected as we share fears, but also as we share caring and compassion around the globe.
The Children and Youth Empowerment Centre, along with the rest of Kenya and the world, has had to make adjustments to ensure the safety of the young people in our care. We've ensured we can maintain distances, and we're planting more vegetables and tubers in anticipation of future food shortages. We're also reaching out to highly vulnerable families in our neighborhood to provide what support we can. While shutting down the economy helps slow the spread of the virus, it's devastating for families that literally live hand to mouth.
Your support allows us to keep our children safe with nutritious food and medical care, and to provide a bit of a safety net for our youth who have lost their jobs. Together we can protect the people and institutions we love.
In honor of your support of the Children & Youth Empowerment Centre in Kenya, we’ve composed a special version of The 12 Days of Christmas. We think even those of you who don’t celebrate Christmas will enjoy!
“On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me a new polytechnic to equip and empower.”
In 2019, the CYEC opened a polytechnic to provide 21st century skills for youth from the Centre and similar programs. Current programs include catering, tailoring, computing, masonry and life-skills and leadership, with an agriculture program in development.
"On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me two prefects leading and a new polytechnic to equip and empower.”
Over the past three summers, Kansas State students in the Staley School of Leadership Studies program guided the prefects through workshops to enable them to be effective leaders. Prefects mentor younger children and play a key leadership role in the functioning of the Centre. KSU students also led the first set of classes in leadership at the new polytechnic.
“On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me three acres of vegetables, two prefects leading and a new polytechnic to equip and empower.”
Penn State ag students worked with youth in 2016 and 2018 to improve soil health in the shamba (garden) through mulching, composting and crop rotation. Youth help grow veggies for the Centre year-round, earning income for themselves and providing healthy food for the children.
“On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me four outreach programs, three acres of veggies, two prefects leading and a new polytechnic to equip and empower.”
The CYEC is a resource for local low-income families, providing fun days focused on literacy for young children. By supporting local education, they can help more children succeed, beyond those in the Centre, and help ensure fewer children end up on the streets.
“On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me five collaborators exploring food security, four outreach programs, three acres of veggies, two prefects leading and a new polytechnic to equip and empower.”
In 2019, students from Penn State and Kansas State collaborated with local community health workers to carry out an assessment of food security in Nyeri county. The study sought to identify the prevalence and depth of food insecurity and to identify factors that lead to food insecurity, potentially contributing to the population of vulnerable children. Future outreach will target those at risk.
"On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me six students a-studying, five collaborators exploring food security, four outreach programs, three acres of veggies, two prefects leading and a new polytechnic to equip and empower.”
Public education in Kenya is free through 8th grade, but secondary schools charge tuition. Local and international ZFI sponsors provide scholarships for CYEC youth as they further their education. Our kids regularly rank at the top of their class!
“On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me seven children breakfasting, six students a-studying, five collaborators exploring food security, four outreach programs, three acres of veggies, two prefects leading and a new polytechnic to equip and empower.”
ZFI donors ensure CYEC children have a healthy breakfast before school at least 3 days a week. We also provide medical and educational supplies and clothing.
“On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me 8 youth a-milking, 7 children breakfasting, 6 students a-studying, 5 collaborators exploring food security, 4 outreach programs, 3 acres of veggies, 2 prefects leading and a new polytechnic to equip and empower.”
Over several years, Penn State students worked on improving the diet of the cows, planting napier grass, making silage and developing a strategy to ensure forage availability even in years of drought. The Centre’s two dairy cows provide milk for the children with surplus to sell to neighbors, supporting both nutrition and income!
“On the 9th day of Christmas my true love gave to me 9 innovations in waste-management, 8 youth a-milking, 7 children breakfasting, 6 students a-studying, 5 collaborators exploring food security, 4 outreach programs, 3 acres of veggies, 2 prefects leading and a new polytechnic to equip and empower.”
Youth at the CYEC are community leaders in waste management. They asked Penn State students to work with them to develop and build a prototype landfill, ensuring consideration of air and water quality in both the design and management of the site. Their experience helped them put in a bid for a larger project.
“On the 10th day of Christmas my true love gave to me 10 volunteers mentoring, 9 innovations in waste-management, 8 youth a-milking, 7 children breakfasting, 6 students a-studying, 5 collaborators exploring food security, 4 outreach programs, 3 acres of veggies, 2 prefects leading and a new polytechnic to equip and empower.”
Friends of the CYEC in Kenya have formed the Zawadi Society, a group of local volunteers who mentor and tutor children at the Centre. It’s so important for the kids to have a special someone who cares about them!
“On the 11th day of Christmas my true love gave to me 11 children playing, 10 volunteers mentoring, 9 innovations in waste-management, 8 youth a-milking, 7 children breakfasting, 6 students a-studying, 5 collaborators exploring food security, 4 outreach programs, 3 acres of veggies, 2 prefects leading and a new polytechnic to equip and empower.”
After school activities include sports, reading, arts, music, and an environmental club to help CYEC children and youth develop their self-awareness and have fun!
“On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me 12 youth succeeding, 11 children playing, 10 volunteers mentoring, 9 innovations in waste-management, 8 youth a-milking, 7 children breakfasting, 6 students a-studying, 5 collaborators exploring food security, 4 outreach programs, 3 acres of veggies, 2 prefects leading and a new polytechnic to equip and empower.”
The CYEC strives to develop the potential of these children & youth so they can lead happy, productive lives. Your support helps us meet this goal! Thanks for your support in 2019. Help us start the New Year right with support today!
Background
The Children and Youth Empowerment Centre opened the Rathithi Polytechnic as a specialized facility to serve the young people based at the CYEC and related programs, who have graduated from high school.
The exceptionally high rates of unemployment (and underemployment) for young people in Kenya, which is even higher for the demographic that CYEC serves, means that there is need for special effort to ensure our young people are prepared for their futures. A well-thought-out skills development program, which the polytechnic is putting in place, is a key component of such a program.
The polytechnic formally launched in November 2019 and currently serves a total of 52 learners, both full-time and part-time. Current formal programs include catering, tailoring, computing, masonry and life-skills and leadership. The agriculture program is yet to gain formal status.
Empowerment theme
In keeping with CYEC’s goal of empowering young people to seize control of their personal and collective destinies, the polytechnic program has three main objectives:
The three objectives tally with the three requirements of general empowerment: increased practical know-how; accumulated material resources and enhanced self-understanding.
Know-how
Provision of practical knowledge is a central component any significant empowerment effort. For ordinary skills training institutions, such know-how is focused on helping individuals to find employment in the open market. For the CYEC’s polytechnic program however, there is a keen appreciation of the need to use its skills development program for the empowerment of the broader community. This is because an empowered community is a key component of any long-term solution to the challenges that have made the CYEC program necessary.
Even while preparing its learners for marketable competencies therefore, the polytechnic is focused on developing training programs that are likely to have a major positive impact on community empowerment. These programs include conservation agriculture, waste management, renewable energy solutions and non-timber-based building technologies.
Learning and production facilities
The socio-economic backgrounds of the learners at the polytechnic are such that program sustainability is an issue of critical importance. It is necessary, for instance, that learners are able to have meals as part of what is offered at the polytechnic. For purposes of efficiency, this means that learning facilities are best utilized for production as well. For example, those in the agriculture program are expected to produce food for the polytechnic’s kitchen while those learning catering are expected to cook for all. The same is true for the other programs. The polytechnic’s facilities, with time, are expected to start generating income.
Life skills development
For the polytechnic to serve as an effective means of community empowerment, it will be necessary for it to have an active outreach service, which is best done by students. To be able to do this the students need to be self-aware and have leadership competencies. This is why life-skills and leadership training are an integral part of the polytechnic’s training program. The aim of this initiative is to enable learners to see themselves not as victims of circumstances beyond their control but as agents of positive change for their communities. The learners are equipped with the skills to design and implement programs for positive change in their communities.
Support requirements
The polytechnic requires plenty of support in order to build its programs to a level that can realize meaningful sustainability, including from paying students. Such support includes the development of general infrastructure such as classrooms, workshops and dormitories as well as program support such as staff salaries and utility bills. Of special significance for the development and sustainability effort however is the agriculture program.
Program leadership
Of special note for the polytechnic initiative is the fact that its leadership is based on beneficiaries of the CYEC program. The institution’s manager belongs to the first cohort of children to be rescued from the streets of Nairobi at the inception of the national program. He is now a university graduate and is working with several other former street dwelling children who are now instructors at the institution, with more set to join in when and as they graduate from their respective colleges and universities.
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