WOKIKE’s Youth, Peace and Security Journey

Since 2018, Womankind Kenya (WOKIKE) has been empowering young people across Kenya’s arid and semi-arid regions as agents of peace, resilience, and sustainable development. We recognize that youth are not only disproportionately affected by conflict, violent extremism, unemployment, and social exclusion — they also hold immense potential to drive peacebuilding, conflict prevention, and community transformation.

Our Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) programmes are anchored on the principles of youth participation, prevention, protection, partnerships, and disengagement and reintegration — in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250 and Kenya’s National Action Plans on Youth, Peace and Security.

Our work spans Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Isiolo, Marsabit, Kajiado, Tana River, Lamu, Mombasa, and Kwale counties, delivered in partnership with organizations including the Kenya Red Cross Society, I Choose Life–Africa, the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF), Adam Smith International, the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), UN Women, ACT! Kenya, DANIDA, county governments, and local peace actors.

Here’s a look at what this work has achieved.

Economic Empowerment and Resilience Building for Youth

Through entrepreneurship development, employability skills training, business incubation, vocational skills, financial literacy, and job readiness workshops, WOKIKE has helped over 1,000 young people secure employment, start small businesses, and pursue sustainable livelihoods — reducing their vulnerability to violent extremism, criminal networks, and drug abuse.

Strengthening Community Peace Structures

We’ve facilitated the establishment and strengthening of Community Peace Committees (CPCs), ensuring meaningful youth participation of at least 30% within peace governance structures. Young people are now active contributors to community dialogue, mediation, conflict resolution, and early warning and response mechanisms.

Supporting Youth-Led Livelihood Initiatives

Recognizing the link between unemployment and insecurity, we’ve supported youth groups to establish income-generating activities — from small enterprises to agribusiness ventures — improving household incomes and reducing susceptibility to radicalization and negative coping mechanisms.

Youth Peace Watch Networks

Trained Youth Peace Watch groups now serve as frontline actors in conflict monitoring and reporting, early warning and response, peace awareness campaigns, community dialogue facilitation, and countering misinformation and hate speech — significantly strengthening local capacities to identify and respond to emerging threats.

Strengthening Youth–Security Sector Relations

Through sports-for-peace activities, community dialogues, town hall meetings, and collaborative peace forums, we’ve helped rebuild trust and cooperation between youth, law enforcement agencies, and community leaders.

Prevention and Countering of Violent Extremism (P/CVE)

We address the key drivers of extremism — unemployment, marginalization, social exclusion, and misinformation — through community sensitization campaigns, mentorship programmes, and peer-to-peer engagement that equip young people to resist extremist narratives and recruitment.

Localizing Kenya’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security

WOKIKE supported the Garissa County Government in developing the Garissa County Action Plan (GCAP), localizing Kenya’s Second National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (KNAP II) — strengthening local ownership of the WPS agenda and enhancing female youth inclusion in peace and security.

Active in Peacebuilding Coordination

As a member of the Garissa County Peace Engagement Forum (CEF), WOKIKE works alongside government institutions, civil society, religious leaders, security agencies, and youth networks to coordinate peacebuilding and conflict prevention across the county.

Looking Ahead

WOKIKE remains committed to advancing youth-led peacebuilding, strengthening community resilience, and creating inclusive platforms that enable young women and men to meaningfully contribute to sustainable peace, security, and development in Kenya.

Get Involved

Interested in partnering with us or learning more about our Youth, Peace and Security programmes?

📞 Phone/WhatsApp: +254 726 993895
📧 Email: info@womankindkenya.org
🌐 Website: www.womankindkenya.org

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