Youth Power in Action: EMpower Team Travels to Kenya!

Today, I am writing in from Nairobi, Kenya, where we are participating in Elevate Children Funders Group 's (ECFG) 2024 Annual General Meeting (AGM). It is the first time ECFG is hosting this meeting in East Africa, and on behalf of EMpower, I am truly excited to be here along with one of our South Africa Youth Fellows, Siyabonga! This year’s theme is “Better Together: Bridging funders, young people, and community for collective impact", driven by the intention to foster partnership and collaboration with local communities and promote innovation in addressing children’s rights and wellbeing.

It is the first time for both Siya and me in Kenya, and we anticipate this meeting will be a valuable experience—from the exciting panel speaker line up, workshops, side events to community site-visits. We plan to actively participate in discussions, gain new insights and broaden our perspectives, and to brainstorm unique solutions geared towards addressing challenges within our field. Representing EMpower and our work in South Africa, collaboration is a key objective for us. The AGM will provide a platform to bring our insights and experiences to the table, while also learning from the diverse perspectives of fellow attendees. We are keen to use this opportunity to network with ?peers and key stakeholders in our field and form valuable connections that may lead to fruitful partnerships.?

The diverse panels and sessions lined up for us will address supporting the leadership of young leaders with disabilities, the state of children's funding, and explore youth empowerment.

Each session promises to offer practical insights and actionable steps. We also look forward to the dialogues around sustainability, impact and wellbeing in global mental health anchored in community-based perspectives. Additionally, we’ll also try out the meditation and cultural dance classes, in hopes of learning a bit about local Kenyan culture. ?

EMpower’s focus areas aim to assist young people to successfully transition into adulthood. We collaborate with grantee partners and peer organisations to provide opportunities for young people to learn, lead safe and healthy lives, and access local economies and markets, with gender equality as a cross-cutting theme in all the programmes we support. EMpower also strongly advocates for Meaningful Youth Engagement, which can be described as the recognition of and engagement with young people as experts of the issues that affect them, and as a population with the capacity to develop and contribute towards positive change in their lives and communities. ??

EMpower is currently building a network of Youth Fellows across India, Mexico, Indonesia, and South Africa, creating space for young people to come together and input on our work.

EMpower encourages youth engagement for several reasons, particularly the fundamental human right to participate. As a young person myself, currently leading EMpower’s Meaningful Youth Engagement in South Africa, I can attest to EMpower’s commitment to partnering with young people. Driven by the belief that truly engaging them in Having young people in decision making positions provides an opportunity to implement sustainable solutions and build stronger communities, and societies. Youth participation allows for the development of pathways to solutions that directly speak to challenges faced by young people. ?

Therefore, the alignment between EMpower’s work and the purpose of ECFG’s AGM is quite evident. Young people in emerging markets face interconnected challenges and coming together means they are in a position to tackle them collectively. Finally and importantly, representation is important, which is why Siya and I are proud to represent EMpower and South Africa at this meeting and we appreciate ECFG's commitment to inclusivity by ensuring the presence of our region. Each item on the programme promises a unique opportunity to learn and partake meaningfully.

We aim to use our participation to amplify the voices of young people and promote collective, informed action for marginalised young people.?