Participants in the second cohort of Place-Based Leadership Development (PBLD) in Nairobi eagerly await to use the knowledge and information gained to impact their community interests.
PBLD is a specifically developed evidence-based Local Leadership Development Program and a Co-facilitator Program that effectively develops and permits the scaling up of local intersectoral leadership coalitions able and willing to work together across state and non-state sectors.
In modules 3 & 4 of the development on shifting the narrative from supporting violence to enacting tolerance, participants shared their experiences and how they will be enhanced.
The development has ten modules;
- Module 1- Personal and professional identity, development and Place
- Module 2- Leaders, Leadership and Values
- Module 3 and 4- Collective inquiry: Shifting the narrative from supporting violence to enacting tolerance (Parts A and B)
- Module 5 and 6- Leading change: Challenging the norms of sexual and other forms of violence against women,girls, and boys (Part A and B)
- Module 7 and 8– Leading your sector and system: Becoming Champions of Social Transformation (Part A and B)
- Module 9 and 10- Shaping the future: Intra and Inter Place collaborations for IUVP (Parts A and B)
Shifting the narrative from supporting violence to promoting tolerance involves intentional efforts in education, communication, and community engagement.
It starts with educating individuals, especially Youth, on the value of diversity, empathy, and non-violent conflict resolution.
Media campaigns and public discussions should highlight stories of cooperation, mutual respect, and the benefits of
peaceful coexistence.
Influential leaders and community figures can play a crucial role by publicly advocating for tolerance and setting an example.
Policies and programs encouraging dialogue between conflicting groups also help reduce stereotypes and foster understanding.
Through these combined efforts, the narrative can be reframed to celebrate tolerance and discourage violence.
Josephat Solomon, alias MC Skuma, has been involved in advocacy among the Youth in the Kware area of Mukuru kwa Njenga.
Through his platform, “Story Ya Baze,” he meets youths at work or recreation and talks about issues affecting them and how they can be solved through civic and political education.
He also collaborates with Mukuru Community Justice Centre and the local Bunge La Mwananchi forums in advocacy for Youth representation in local governance issues.
During the unfortunate Kware dumpsite situation where bodies of women were discovered, together with his colleagues, they facilitated psychosocial assistance to families in distress.
He says Youth-led psychosocial help can resonate better with younger populations. They can offer relatable emotional support, reducing stigma around mental health and creating a safe space for peers to seek help.
He plans to apply the knowledge gained from this development to create youth-focused organizations and clubs centered on community service and psychosocial initiatives, empowering young people to take ownership of projects. He aims to establish mentorship programs that connect experienced professionals with Youth involved in community development.
Additionally, he wants to foster peer-to-peer networks that support mental health awareness and provide a nurturing environment.
Through partnerships,he intends to introduce volunteer recognition programs, scholarships, and small grants for Youth engaged in community service to encourage active participation.
He is committed to ensuring inclusive involvement by reaching out to underrepresented Youth from marginalized communities and rural areas, offering them equal opportunities.
Using social media, he intends to engage young people, raise awareness of community issues, and promote volunteer opportunities. He also envisions youth centers as safe spaces for discussions about community challenges, mental health support, and initiative planning.
His PBLD counterpart, Mariam Twahir, through the “Safisha Rada” program implemented by Amani Kibera CBO, uses sports as a tool to respond to crime among Youth while addressing their social, economic, and political vulnerabilities.
She is actively engaged in community sensitization efforts in the Lindi area of Kibera, focusing on empowering local Youth by enhancing their understanding of available government and donor funds.
Her plans include:
-Strengthening youth sports councils to ensure young voices shape community sports initiatives.
-Conducting workshops that leverage sports to address broader social issues like health, education, and equality.
-Advocating for more sports facilities in underserved areas to ensure equitable access.
-Utilizing social media to raise awareness about sports benefits and highlight issues like discrimination.
-Facilitate dialogues between Youth and decision-makers in sports and education to incorporate their perspectives into policy development.
-Promoting sports as a platform for addressing societal challenges such as mental health, violence reduction, and gender equality through organized events.
-Establishing mentorship programs pairing youth advocates with professional athletes to guide community initiatives.
-Encouraging schools to host student-led sports events that promote fitness and social responsibility.
-Building networks of youth volunteers to support local sports programs and enhance engagement.
-Collaborating with sports icons to amplify messages of youth involvement and community engagement in sports advocacy.
Key highlights from the development were on;
- Civic Education as a tool for tackling Cultural, Economic, and situational analysis
- Intergenerational dialogue as an entry point to Youth inclusion in Governance structures
- Different approaches in leadership and how to incorporate each in Communities
- Value system and what to teach
- Mindset shift and how to handle embedded values
- Collaborative approaches with intersectoral leaders
- Ecological model (framework used to understand the complex interactions between individuals and their environment and how these interactions affect behaviors,
- health outcomes, or other phenomena. It highlights the multiple layers of influence on individuals, ranging from personal factors to larger societal forces.)-the ecological model helps in designing more comprehensive interventions, whether in public health, environmental conservation, or social behavior, that target both individual and systemic change
Kibra area Chief Asia Suleiman Ramadhan commended MIDRIFT HURINET for training intersectoral leaders and committed to using her office for collaborative initiatives targeting the Youth and other community members.
MIDRIFT HURINET is advocating for intersectoral leaders who have been trained through Place-Based Leadership Development (PBLD) to be part of the Multisectoral Coordination & Collaboration approach to mainstream and leverage the conversation around leadership, Violence Prevention, Peace & Security concerns, and transformative change in their communities.
The initiative complements MIDRIFT HURINET Policy Brief No.01 of 2024, which responds to Peace and Security concerns in the Country and gives an insight into;
1. Key findings on lessons in adopting a multisectoral coordination and collaboration approach to violence prevention and election preparedness enhancement and draw inspiration from MIDRIFT HURINET impact assessment and evaluation report on Creating Peaceful, Fair, and Non-violent Elections.
2. Effectiveness of creating avenues for embracing an intersectoral approach, characterized by collective action for collective impact where different stakeholders, state and non-state actors, can work together to create safer communities
3. Incorporation of recommendations for scaling to currently implemented areas, Nakuru and Baringo, and replicating the lessons learned across the 47 counties and the African region.
4. Repurposing of the Multisectoral Coordination and Collaboration Forums on Election Preparedness to Multisectoral Coordination and Collaboration Forums on Peace and Security
5. Scalability of Lessons Learned Nationally and Regionally
The key findings on the lessons in adopting a multisectoral coordination and collaboration approach to violence prevention were;
1. Enhanced Collaboration through Collective Information Sharing and Working Together
2. Creation of a Unified Purpose and Resource Sharing
3. Quick and Improved Access to Security Officials
4. Trust and Credibility Building among Stakeholders
5. Creation of Open Dialogue Platforms
One of the lessons learned was Investment in Social Capital Garnered from the Multisectoral Collaborative Networks bringing together diverse stakeholders with diverse
comparative advantages that can be leveraged to maximize the collaboration action and impact from the state (Ministry of Interior and National Administration Departments) to non-state actors, including international and non-governmental, inter-faith organizations, individual leaders, youths, women, media outlets, and the larger community.
By
Jacob Karani
