Stories from the Field: How to empower youth-led groups.

STORIES FROM THE FIELD: The UN-Habitat Urban Youth Fund project development process becomes a tool for youth empowerment in Kibera

By Caroline Guillet and Carole MacNeil

S

upporting youth to be active partners and agents of positive change is a key idea of Youth-Led Development (YLD), and an important guiding prin-

ciple for UN-Habitat´s work in the area of youth. Youthled development (YLD) is an asset-based approach that moves young people from passive objects of development efforts, and places them instead at the center of their own and their communities’ development.,1 YLD supports youth in developing sense of their own capacity and assets to change not only the environment in which they are living, but also to change their own direction within and through this environment.2 Youth-led development is not necessarily easy to implement, particularly in contexts of poverty. Yet, as the story below illustrates, it has the potential to create opportunities for youth even when other efforts have not succeeded.

UN-Habitat, as one of the UN agencies at the center of youth voice and empowerment, has been actively involved in building knowledge about the concept and practice of youth-led development for the last decade, and has developed five key principles that help define authentic youth-led development.

1 For research on Youth-Led Development, including years of data on hundreds of youth initiatives and how they are making a positive difference in their communities all over the world, see the Global Youth-Led Development Series, published by the United Nations Human Settlements Organization (UN-Habitat).

2 Sadan, E. (2004). Empowerment and Community Practice, downloaded from: http://www. mpow.org/

These “Five Principles of Youth Led Development,”

THE SETTING FOR THE COLLABORATION

developed by UN-Habitat in 2007, are: KDI and Usalama work in the community known as Kib1. Youth define their own development goals and objectives; 2. Youth have a social and physical space to participate in development and to be regularly consulted; 3. Adult mentorship and peer-to-peer mentorship are encouraged; 4. Youth act as role models to help other youth engage in development; and

era in Nairobi, Kenya, believed to be one of the world’s largest slums in East Africa with an estimated population ranging between 100,000 and 500,000 inhabitants.4 Young people make up a large proportion of the population of Kibera, with half of all Kibera residents under 15 years old.5 Kibera residents face complex challenges similar to residents in other informal settlements, such as lack of educational opportunities and lack of access to basic services or land security, which in turn negatively impact the opportunities available for the young people who live there. Unemployment or under-

5. Youth are integrated into all local and national development programs and frameworks.

employment affects an estimated two-thirds of Kibera residents, who live on less than $1/day.6 Jobs are scarce in comparison to the number of people wanting to enter

To support grassroots youth-led initiatives globally, and

the labor market. As a result of these challenges, young

to create a mechanism for increasing the field’s knowl-

people can easily lose hope in their future and some may

edge of promising practices related to YLD, UN-Habitat

choose to engage in criminal activities, when no other

launched the Urban Youth Fund in 2008. More than

options seem available.

simply a grants program, the Urban Youth Fund is a comprehensive program that incorporates best practices

In the midst of these challenges, however, opportunities

in financial and non-financial support through capacity-

for young people still exist. The story of the Usalama

building tools, processes, mentor programs, and train-

Youth Bridge Reform group illustrates how youth-led

ings.

development opened up opportunities to youth who previously felt they had few opportunities available.

This story highlights the successes and challenges of a

Their story shows how a youth-led group came together

collaboration between Kounkuey Design Initiative (KDI),

to improve both their livelihood opportunities and their

an NGO specializing in public space development in

surrounding environment.

Nairobi’s Kibera slum, and Usalama Youth Bridge Reform (Usalama), a group of youth working to expand economic opportunity for Kibera’s young people. It explores how the group utilized the Urban Youth Fund’s capacity-building tools to build the skills and knowledge of the youth involved and strengthen the work of the collaboration. Their story also illustrates some important lessons learned about the process of youth-led development and how the Urban Youth Fund process and tools might be of use to other groups.3

companion workbook on a wide range of project development and organizational development topics, including project planning, logic models, stakeholder analysis, risk assessment and management, organizational structures, budgeting and financial reporting, public relations, and monitoring and evaluation. For more information, please see www.unhabitat. org/youth 4 See, for example: http://www.unfpa.org/swp/2007/presskit/pdf/sowp2007_eng.pdf, http://www.popcouncil.org/uploads/pdfs/AdolKiberaSlums.pdf, http://www.mapkibera.org/ blog/2010/09/05/kiberas-census-population-politics-precision/, http://kiberalawcentre. org/facts/, http://pulitzercenter.org/reporting/kenya-nairobi-land-rights-kibera-statelessnubians-citizenship-development.

5 See: http://kiberalawcentre.org/facts/

3 The “tools” referred to in this article include e-learning modules and a training manual and

6 See: www.wfp.org/news/news-release/kenya-crisis-second-slum-food-distribution

FORMATION

OF

THE

PARTNERSHIP

BETWEEN

USALAMA AND KDI

strength of the group, as they worked together to manage a revolving fund. The group was later able to open a bank account to secure the saved money (42,000Ksh,

The Usalama Youth Bridge Reform group began as a

approximately $420).

loosely-formed group of young people who gathered near one of KDI’s prospective sites on the border of Laini

The success of the activity encouraged Usalama mem-

Saba, Mashimoni and Lindi villages. During construc-

bers to maintain their table banking activity, but they

tion work in the area, some of the youth took jobs that

also decided that they wanted to do something produc-

they refused to fulfill properly, and at times their ongo-

tive with the funds accumulated to date. When they tried

ing presence limited access to the site during and after

to identify practical ideas and reach consensus on the

completion. It became clear—to the youth and to KDI—

direction to take, however, they struggled as a group.

that these youth had to be empowered to secure the

To address this new challenge, KDI introduced the group

construction work and the site’s surroundings, and to

to UN-Habitat’s Urban Youth Fund project design tools.

address the underlying issues facing the youth.

It took more than two years for Usalama to establish

GROWING THE PROJECT USING THE UYF TOOLS

themselves in 2012 as a cohesive youth group with aspirations to change their livelihoods and environment. At

Within any group—even one with a strong core and a

that time, KDI began partnering with the young people

history of success—diverse interests, visions, and per-

in order to respond to their specific needs and ensure

sonalities can make it challenging to develop a common

their support, by promising technical support for income-

goal and project design. Research from the Global Youth-

generating activities. The development of Usalama as a

Led Development Report Series7 found that “…while

group faced and had to address some real challenges,

program content is typically strong and well conceptu-

including: competing priorities among members, a lack

alized, and while youth are often playing instrumental

of group structure, and the need for stronger leader-

roles in the implementation of these programs, the or-

ship. Now, after more than two years, the group has

ganizations are often lacking in some aspect of structure

managed to maintain a core membership of 20 young

or operations.” Furthermore, this research found that

people from two villages.

specific tools such as strategic and operational planning and financial management tools, in particular, were ar-

Group cohesion and trust was enhanced through the

eas where youth-led initiatives needed and wanted sup-

start of a savings and loan activity among the group

port. The Urban Youth Fund aimed to address that lack

members. This savings and loan activity started in Sep-

by creating youth-friendly tools for project development.

tember 2013 and lasted for 6 months. Usalama members met every Sunday; each member was required to

When KDI and Usalama turned to the UN-Habitat’s Ur-

contribute 50 Ksh (approximately US$.50) to the pro-

ban Youth Fund project design process, they discovered

ject. Each week, a portion of that money—between 500

the tools that could help their group develop a shared

and 3000Ksh, approximately US$5 to $30—was lent

vision and detail the steps needed to design the project.

to one of the members to develop one activity, pay a bill, or enhance his business. This activity enhanced the trust among group members, and reinforced the overall

7 MacNeil, C., Ragan, D., and Solberg, J.A. (2012). State of the Field in Youth-Led Development. (Vol. II of the Global Youth-Led Development Series). Nairobi, Kenya: United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).

They were able to use these tools to support the imple-

collect. The environment in Kibera would only be im-

mentation of their project, regardless of whether or not

proved when the garbage collected was trucked out of

the group received a grant from the UYF.

Kibera to a proper dumping site. However the youth feared that those hired to collect the garbage bags

First and foremost, Usalama members needed to define

would dump them somewhere else in the slum in order

their vision and theory of change. They all agreed on the

to avoid paying for the truck. To address this, they decid-

need to use their own positive influence to empower

ed that one Usalama member would assume the respon-

additional youth and prevent them from engaging in

sibility of following up the collection process every week

criminal activities. To do so, they decided to address

to make sure that the garbage was being sent to an of-

the unemployment issue in Kibera by creating income-

ficial dumping site outside of the slum. By reflecting on

generating activities for young people. They also real-

these (and other) risks in advance, the group was able to

ized that they would need to engage with the surround-

create a process to prevent them from happening.

ing community, in order to build trust between youth and other inhabitants, and reinforce the social cohesion

The portion of the tool that addresses partnerships was

needed for the success of the project. As the project de-

also helpful to the group as they reflected on the other

velopment process continued, they realized that young

youth groups, CBOs, and NGOs within Kibera, the ways

people in Kibera were undertaking many recycling activi-

that they could connect to these groups, and the role

ties and that there was a crucial need for coordinating

these groups might play in relationship to their specific

these activities so as to make them more profitable for

project. The connections helped them to secure external

the youth while simultaneously improving the service to

support to implement their project, while also coordinat-

the community.

ing trash collection throughout Kibera.

The Urban Youth Fund’s project development tool is

In short, while the group had the vision and determina-

designed to help youth groups think through a project

tion to develop and implement their project to improve

step-by-step. Although the Usalama members had in

their local community, they needed some additional skills

mind a rough idea of what activities would be conduct-

and tools to give it the structure and cohesion it lacked.

ed, they struggled putting them in order and linking

Usalama was able to use the UYF tools to support their

them to, outcomes, and budget. By using the tool, they

efforts by identifying and preventing risks, planning ac-

were able to transform their vision into a practical goal

tivities in detail, and building partnerships that would

with “activities,” “outputs,” and “outcomes” and then

enhance their success.

to prioritize and schedule their activities.

In addition, the UYF tool helps groups to do reflection

STAYING YOUTH-LED AND YOUTH-CENTERED

and planning on potential risks to the project, and on partnerships that can be developed to build success. By

The story of Usalama is the story of a successful col-

guiding the participants through a risk assessment pro-

laboration between this youth group and a partnering

cess, the tool helped the participants refine their project

organization, KDI. Such collaborations, though filled

to mitigate against those potential risks throughout the

with potential, also face challenges in remaining youth-

implementation process. One concrete example had to

led and youth-centered. Ensuring that a project is actu-

do with the dumping of the garbage that youth would

ally designed and implemented by the youth themselves

is critical to its success. A partnering organization must

sons for other youth groups who might be involved in

engage with the youth group in a careful and respectful

YLD projects.

way, and avoid taking over the goal or direction of the project.

First, youth-led development is strengthened by partners who create supportive structures and processes, but do

KDI used the strategy of participatory workshops to en-

not try to control the project direction or implementa-

sure that the Usalama project remained youth-centered.

tion. In the case of Usalama, KDI intervened to start

The workshops were held on a weekly basis over six

building relationships with the youth who were causing

weeks, and were structured in a way to ensure that

troubles around the construction site in the first place,

youth’s ideas were not unduly influenced by either KDI or

and those youth became the project’s eventual partici-

other visiting NGOs. In addition, KDI gave weekly assign-

pants. They also intervened when they saw the need for

ments for the group members to meet separately and

project planning support, and guided the group toward

answer specific questions. These separate discussions,

tools (the UYF’s project planning tools) that would help

away from KDI, allowed the youth to rethink their ideas

them in their efforts. Yet, KDI limited its intervention to

and then present them later during the KDI workshops.

allow Usalama to form its own group, and to develop and organize the group under its own leadership. In

Usalama also strengthened their own youth participation

youth-led development, participatory processes are criti-

through the internal communication rules they had es-

cal for success. Youth participants must feel that they

tablished prior to their partnership with KDI. These rules

have a voice in decision-making and that the project

ensured that each person had a voice in every meeting,

reflects their vision, ideas and efforts. Youths’ sense of

and emphasized that every member had the right to ex-

efficacy, a characteristic of YLD, is developed through

press ideas and to be respected by other members. By

this participation, when youth have the opportunity to

continuing to use these rules, Usalama could ensure that

express their ideas and to contribute in meaningful ways

each and every individual youth had the opportunity to

to the success of the project.

shape the development of the project, by bringing new ideas or expressing disagreement, and thereby foster

Second, while youth-led development is inherently a

youths’ sense of ownership of both the process and the

participatory process, successful implementation still

project.

requires leadership. KDI partnered with Usalama members individually for more than two years, but the actual

By paying careful attention to group process and par-

formation, structure, and activities of the group were

ticipation, Usalama members could develop consensus

led from within the group itself. Within Usalama, youth

around the project’s vision and implementation, and the

leaders emerged who felt a conviction for the impor-

partnership between KDI and Usalama remained youth-

tance of the work, and who demonstrated the ability

centered and youth-directed.

to guide others to join them in that work. This internal leadership is essential for the relevance of the project, and critical to its sustainability. This is also key to why

LESSONS FOR OTHER YOUTH GROUPS

UN-Habitat´s main approach to youth-led development includes partnering with youth-led groups rather than

The story of Usalama’s youth-led development project,

individuals. A youth-led group ensures a higher degree

and their partnership with KDI, contains important les-

of sustainability and impact in its community.

Third, youth-led development takes a significant invest-

one specific case, the lessons learned contribute to our

ment of time and can take more time than processes

understanding of what youth can do to change their

implemented as a top-down approach from an estab-

environments, and what support they need to engage

lished organization but will be more sustainable and

in such an effort.

more inclusive than top-down processes. The process of youth led-development is about changing the way youth perceive their environment and their place in it.

It is about developing an understanding of the opportunities that do or might exist, and coming to a realiza-

Lessons learned:

tion that each individual can play a role in shaping those opportunities—that is, developing a sense of agency.

These developmental processes take time. Likewise, the relationships needed to sustain such efforts can only be built over time. The relationship between KDI and Usalama evolved into a successful relationship over several years and only with a significant investment of time and

1. Youth-led development is strengthened by partners who create supportive structures and processes, but do not try to control the project direction or implementation.

effort.

Fourth, that sense of agency, to be effective, requires certain skills and knowledge. Without these skills and knowledge, the efforts of youth may be ineffective, and

2. While youth-led development is inherently a participatory process, successful implementation still requires leadership.

ultimately have a negative impact on youth’ sense of agency. Youth leaders and participants in Usalama were able to strengthen their skills and knowledge in project

3. Youth-led development can take more time.

management by using the project development tools of the Urban Youth Fund. The tools, in combination with the investment of time and energy of the collaborating partner, allowed the group to create a successful project while enhancing the sense of agency among partici-

4. “Agency,” to be effective, requires certain skills and knowledge

pants.8 The story of Usalama, their successful collaboration with KDI, and the ultimate success they’ve experienced in the challenging context of Kibera, points to the potential of

United Nations Human Settlements Programme

such partnerships and even more importantly, to the po-

P.O.Box 30030, 00100 Nairobi GPO Kenya

tential of youth-led development to solve some of urban

Tel: +254 20 762 3120 (Central Office)

communities’ most pressing problems. While this is only

Fax: +254 20 762 3477 www.unhabitat.org/urbanyouthfund

8 In order to provide more youth leaders with similar opportunities, the Youth Fund has developed an e-learning program that gives youth access to project development and management tools. From the fall 2015, the Youth Fund e-learning program offers 8 courses in social and business enterprises for youth-led organizations and dedicated youth.