Most decisions that shape young people’s lives, about schools, clinics, water, safety, are made in rooms where no young person is present. Our Youth Leadership Forums exist to change who is in the room, and to make sure that when a young person gets there, they know what to do.
A forum is a regular meeting of young people from one part of Kibera. They pick the issues that matter to them, find out who is responsible, and learn how to raise the matter properly: writing to the chief’s office, speaking at a public participation meeting, or putting a question to a ward representative without being talked over.
The issues are close to home. A broken streetlight on the path to school. A dumping site next to a nursery. Nowhere for young people to meet in the evenings. Small enough to win, big enough to matter.
Along the way, members learn skills that transfer everywhere. How to chair a meeting. How to keep minutes. How to disagree with someone without insulting them. How to speak for two minutes and stop. How to lose a vote and stay in the group.
The bigger result is quieter. A young person who has been listened to once expects to be listened to again, and starts to behave like someone whose voice counts. That is a habit worth spreading.
Forums are open to young people across Kibera. Ask about the one nearest you at info@kibrayouthnetwork.org.
