Economic Growth Kenya Project #7743

Provide Job Skills to Kenyan Slum Youth

by Shauri Yako Community Youth Support Centre (SYSC)

Project Report | Jun 26, 2017
Highlights: the Impact of Your Support

By Joe Mwai | Chair of the Board

“Reading and storytelling program at centre on Saturdays is my best time. I can read Hadizi za Abunuazi and other books well now, and can tell many stories to all my friends”. - Elisa Wanja (12 years) -

Skills training for construction industry artisans:

Thanks to you, SYSC launched a new construction industry artisans training project in partnership with Options for Homes Kenya in April. Eight youth are now placed with an Options for Homes construction project in Ngong Hills, Kajiado County and learning plumbing and masonry skills. This housing construction project will provide on-the-job building experience for three months, after which the participants will test for certification through the KILBIT Training Institute. Given the persistent shortage of qualified tradespeople in Kenya, we know we are providing highly employable job skills.

Our objective is to expand to include welding, metal fabrication and electrician skills training. We are working with CAP Youth Learn, and Earn to explore establishing a training program centre at our SYSC facility in Nyeri town. A community-based program would allow us to serve many more youth in need and avoid having participants commute long-distances other training venues.

Civic Engagement in Upcoming Elections:

Country General Elections bare here again, and so are the politicians, seeking votes from residents – particularly youth. SYSC is busy hosting candidates so we can discuss our community’s most pressing needs – vocation training for youth, a new primary school and a sewer system. We are also working to educate youth who feel disenfranchised and overlooked to not sell their vote and use it to elect a politician who will champion their problems. We are also advocating for youth representation on the Nyeri County government.

Studio Mashinani Youth empowerment initiative:

A joint government & co-operative sponsored initiative led by Studio Mashinani Arts Centre, which will identify and promote youth with artistic talents – is preparing to launch in all counties, including Nyeri town. This is a major step in the right direction for youth here. Not only will the initiative create jobs here, but address youth social issues, like lack of engagement or opportunity for creative expression. SYSC is working with the Nyeri County government and Studio Mashinani program managers to help identify the land for the development and project implementation.

SYSC Scout program: Celebrating Tirus

We are proud of Tirus Ndegwa, a SYSC Youth Support Officer, who has been elected as Assistant Commissioner for Nyeri Scouts Association in recognition for his long service with Kenya’s Scouts Association. Tirus is the founder and trainer for SYSC’s Scouts Troop, which provides over 15 volunteer hours a month to our community, including maintaining SYSC’s centre and environmental stewardship of the Nyeri. Able to help? Our scouts are in need of new uniforms and funding to organize training camps.

Fundraising:

The $1032.45 raised through your GlobalGiving support this year have been allocated as follows: $820 to support our on-going construction skills training program, and $212.45 for office administration. Thanks to the support of 2 new volunteers, we have submitted 3 project proposals since April: 2 for skills training and one for youth reproductive health training. Keep your fingers crossed for us! We continue seeking for funds to expand our skills training program, our main strategic goal.

To our donors and friends, thank you so much for your continuous support. We could not help youth lift themselves from poverty without your kindness.

Truly yours,

Joe

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Mar 29, 2017
A check in from your friends at SYSC

By Joe Mwai | Chair of the Board

Dear Friends,

We hope the arrival of April finds you well! Kenya has just experienced a 100-day doctor strike, which has affected many across the country - those from impoverished communities most severely. Sadly, people from the Shauri Yako and Manjengo slum where we work, who could not afford private hospital care, lost their lives. In Kenya, April is one of the wettest months of the year. Let's hope this year's rainy season will wash in postive changes for those at risk in our community. In this spirit, we continue to work for solutions that will empower youth to help themselves overcome high poverty rates, low education levels and other barriers to a better life.

Kenya continues to face a serious shortage of skilled construction trades persons, while the UNDP reports youth employment stood a near 38% in 2016. So we have struck a collaborative youth skills training program with the CAP Youth Empowerment Institute (YEI) and its Youth Learn, Earn and Save program. 8 youth will be selected from SYSC to participate in CAP YEI's 2017 Construction Artisan training, and benefit from 3 months of masonry, plumbing or electrician courses and a 1-month apprenticeship with Option for Homes Kenya. SYSC will meet the cost of trainee’s daily transportation to the training centre for those who cannot afforrd it, and continue to seek additional partners to support our skills training objectives in the areas of masonry, welding and metal fabrication.

In February, we recruited 18 new youth between 14 and 16 to our Scout Group, one of our longest running youth support programs. Scouting supports youth who, in turn, have helped SYSC to engage the community on priorities like enviornmental stewardship. Says Scout group member James: "I am 18 years of age and went to school up to class 8. I am very happy to be a part of SYSC scout group; as scouts we volunteer in the community, we also go to leadership and life skills training camps. This is very helpful and my dream now is to get skills that I can use to create myself a job."

We want you to know that we're working as hard as we can as a very small volunteer run, grassroots organization to fundraise so we can broaden our impact. We have new volunteers who are focusing on finding project parnters and raising funds. We've seen an increase in donations from you - our individual supporters in the first quarter of 2017. As always, we are so very grateful for your continuous support and want to assure you that we are putting your donations to good use where there is real need.

May you and your families be happy and well.

With much gratitude!

Joe

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Dec 30, 2016
JUST 3 DAYS LEFT TO HELP IMPOVERISHED YOUTH

By Joe Mwai | Chair of the Board

Training to make shoes at Nyeri market

YEAR END REPORT FROM SHAURI YAKO YOUTH SUPPORT CENTRE (SYSC)

December 2016

Nyeri, Kenya

Dear Friends,

As we come to the end year 2016, we are grateful for all the support we received from our Global Giving donors. Your support enabled Shauri Yako Community Youth Support Centre to continue providing skills training for our underprivileged youth. Because of you, we were able to support a youth theatre group with a membership of 16 people and to provide computer skills training. We are proud that the theatre group started performing for pay this Christmas season, and is also performing to provide health and civic education. These opportunities we give to Shauri Yako youth are only possible with your generous donations.

And it’s not too late to make a difference. There is still time to contribute in 2016. Your donation will have its impact multiplied by giving us the chance to compete for bonus prizes in GlobalGiving’s Year-End Campaign. And, if you set up a new recurring donation, your first contribution will be matched 200%!

Thank you for training me how to use a computer

I am 48 year of age; I learned how to use a computer and how to operate an email account here at SYSC. Today, many Kenya government services are offered online, and most people in Shauri Yako community are not computer literate, but can learn and access the free computer services at Shauri Yako Centre. The centre offers opportunities for free training, education programs for our children and a place for youth to escape from the slums. Thank you for supporting our community.

-Jane Mumbi-

Reproductive health education

I am 19 years old and unemployed single mother of two children. I didn’t have knowledge of reproductive health until I attended SYSC Reproductive Health Program here early this year. I am now able to take care of myself, but many youth here are ignorant. There is a huge need for RHE in our community. Girls from 14 years who live in Shauri Yako, Manjengo and Kiawara slums are always at risk. Our custom doesn’t allow parents to teach their children about reproductive health, as a result we make many mistakes that have painful consequences. SYSC project was very helpful.

-Ngendo Muburi-

I am grateful for giving me job skills

Six month ago I was looking for a place to hangout after a job search and somebody to talk to when I dropped by Shauri Yako Centre. The program coordinator introduced me to the scout and theatre group, and I chose to get involved with theatre group. Today I am a member of that theatre group and I have discovered that I have talent. I want to pursue further training and study in theatre and acting.

-Maureen Wanja-

Looking Forward:

We look to 2017 with optimism. We have a new group of volunteers helping us with grant writing, and a strategic plan to focus on high demand skills training in metal work, welding, masonry and leather goods production. According to Kenya’s National Housing Corporation, Kenya is experiencing such a shortage of skilled construction industry workers that workers may have to be imported. SYSC is seeking partners to help us seize the opportunity to train the many unemployed youth in our community to help meet this demand.

Thank you again for supporting our work. If you can, PLEASE DONATE TODAY. All donations made by US donors are tax-deductible – so please give by 23:59:59 EST on December 31.

Bless you you abundantly. Look forward to working with you in the New Year.

Joe Mwai

Shauri Yako Community Youth Support Centre

youth theatre troupe

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