Youth empowerment in Africa starts with what young people already bring

This section covers the parts of youth work that don’t fit neatly into one skill. How a young person gets a say in the program they belong to. Who they can call when something goes wrong. What it takes for a mentor to stay for years instead of weeks. We write about youth councils run by teenagers, community referral networks, safe spaces, savings groups and the adults who keep turning up.

Our starting point is simple. A young person who sleeps on the street, or works a market stall at fourteen, still has skills, opinions and plans. Programs that start from those strengths tend to outlast programs built around a list of problems.

We also look hard at what doesn’t work. Short visits that end when the donor’s photos are done. Handouts with no follow-up. Decisions made about young people in rooms they’re never invited into. If you run a program, mentor, fund or volunteer, you’ll find stories here about what communities themselves say is useful, and honest notes on the gaps that remain. The live headlines come from Asante Africa Foundation, which works with young people across East Africa.