Unmute Kenya: Youth Dialogue – Kilifi Edition

Young People Unmuting Their Voices, Reclaiming Their Future

"Young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow, they are the leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, workers, and changemakers of today. The question is not whether they have ideas, but whether they are given the opportunity to be heard."

Meaningful conversations have the power to transform communities. They create spaces where lived experiences are shared, challenges are understood, ideas are exchanged, and solutions are born. For young people, such conversations are even more critical because they directly influence their opportunities, livelihoods, and ability to shape the future of their communities.

Meaningful conversations have the power to transform communities. They create spaces where lived experiences are shared, challenges are understood, ideas are exchanged, and solutions are born. For young people, such conversations are even more critical because they directly influence their opportunities, livelihoods, and ability to shape the future of their communities.

Across Kenya, young people continue to make up the largest segment of the population, yet many still feel excluded from conversations that determine their future. Despite increasing investments in youth empowerment, many young people remain on the periphery of development planning, policy discussions, and decision-making processes that directly affect their lives.

Kilifi County reflects this reality. Home to one of Kenya's largest youth populations, the county possesses enormous human potential. Every year, thousands of young people transition into adulthood hoping to secure employment, establish businesses, pursue higher education, or contribute meaningfully to society. Yet for many, these aspirations are met with unemployment, limited access to opportunities, information gaps, and insufficient platforms where they can openly engage with leaders and peers on issues affecting their lives.

Through its community engagements over the years, Youth and Women for Peace and Sustainable Development (YOWPSUD) has consistently heard one message from young people across Kilifi County:

"We are rarely involved in conversations that shape our future."

Many youth have shared that development priorities are often discussed without their meaningful participation. This feeling of exclusion has gradually discouraged many from participating in public participation forums, as they increasingly believe that their voices do not influence decisions affecting their communities. It is within this context that Unmute Kenya: Youth Dialogue – Kilifi Edition provided a refreshing and much-needed platform for honest conversations.

A Platform Built Around Youth Voices

This week's dialogue was convened by Distory and Youth, Arts, Development and Entrepreneurship Network (YADEN) East Africa, bringing together young people from Kilifi to openly discuss the realities shaping their lives, livelihoods, aspirations, and future. Distory is a Kenyan storytelling and communications organization dedicated to using journalism, multimedia production, strategic communications, and creative storytelling to amplify community voices and influence positive social change. Through initiatives like Unmute Kenya, Distory creates platforms where communities, and especially young people can tell their own stories, influence public conversations, and contribute to shaping solutions around issues that matter most to them.

The dialogue was organized by Twaweza East Africa through the Unmute Kenya initiative and convened locally by YADEN East Africa. YOWPSUD mobilized young people from Kilifi County to participate and actively contribute to discussions on youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, employment, digital opportunities, civic participation, and community development. The dialogue was facilitated by Taylor Torch (Robinson Jambo), YOWPSUD's Portfolio Lead for Peace and Security, Climate Change and Food Security. Distory documented the dialogue through professional photography, videography, interviews, and multimedia storytelling to capture participants' voices, experiences, and key outcomes for wider public engagement.

As part of its continued commitment to promoting youth participation and inclusive development, YOWPSUD mobilized young people to participate in the dialogue and actively contributed to the discussions. YOWPSUD and YADEN have built a strong partnership over the years, particularly in advancing Peace and Security and Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) initiatives at both the national and county levels. This collaboration continues to strengthen youth engagement, peacebuilding, and community resilience through meaningful partnerships and locally led solutions.

Challenging Long-Held Narratives

One of the most powerful moments throughout the dialogue was the willingness of young people to honestly examine themselves. Participants reflected on narratives they have grown up hearing, beliefs that have shaped their perceptions of success, employment, and opportunity. Many acknowledged that from an early age, some young people have been conditioned to believe that opportunities are scarce, that success belongs to "other people," or that meaningful progress depends solely on external assistance.

These mindsets, participants observed, have quietly contributed to stagnation. Rather than continuously seeking opportunities for growth, innovation, and self-improvement, many young people admitted that they sometimes settle into comfortable routines, limiting their own potential. This has, in turn, increased vulnerability to negative influences, unhealthy peer pressure, criminal activities, substance abuse, and harmful forms of masculinity and femininity that discourage personal growth and responsible citizenship.

What made the discussion particularly unique was that participants chose not to spend the day assigning blame. Instead of pointing fingers exclusively at government, leaders, employers, or institutions, many accepted that while structural barriers certainly exist, young people themselves also have a responsibility to actively pursue opportunities, continuously develop their skills, and intentionally build better futures. It was a refreshing conversation, one rooted in accountability, hope, and possibility.

Exploring Kilifi's Economic Potential

The discussion also highlighted Kilifi County's immense economic opportunities. Participants specifically pointed to Kilifi South, where large-scale industries and private sector investments continue to expand, creating employment opportunities across different sectors. Yet despite these investments, participants expressed concern that relatively few local youth are taking advantage of available opportunities.

The reasons shared were both practical and concerning. Many participants argued that wages offered in some industries are too low to attract local young people, making employment less appealing despite the availability of jobs. Others described recruitment processes as lengthy, stressful, and often dependent on personal connections rather than merit. One recurring concern was the perception that "knowing someone" remains an unofficial requirement for securing employment in some workplaces.

Young women also courageously shared experiences and concerns regarding sexual exploitation during recruitment processes. Some spoke about situations where women are pressured into compromising their dignity in pursuit of employment opportunities. These experiences sparked important conversations about the need for ethical recruitment practices, workplace dignity, gender equality, and safer employment environments for all young people.

From Problems to Possibilities

While many challenges were discussed, Unmute Kenya deliberately shifted the conversation towards solutions. Young people exchanged practical ideas on how they can better prepare themselves for emerging opportunities by investing in digital skills, entrepreneurship, networking, personal branding, innovation, and continuous learning. Participants also shared information on available youth support programs offered by both the National Government and the County Government, encouraging one another to actively seek out opportunities instead of waiting for opportunities to find them.

The dialogue also explored the importance of understanding markets, improving business marketing strategies, identifying opportunities, and building the confidence required to compete in today's economy. Perhaps most encouraging was the optimism surrounding technology. Artificial Intelligence (AI) emerged as one of the most exciting topics discussed during the session.

Participants acknowledged that while many young people spend significant amounts of time on social media, these platforms also present enormous opportunities for learning, business development, networking, digital marketing, freelancing, and income generation. Rather than viewing technology as a distraction, participants challenged each other to become intentional digital citizens, using online platforms to acquire new skills, generate income, access information, and maintain positive mental wellbeing. The conversation reinforced that digital literacy is no longer optional; it is becoming an essential life skill for today's generation.

A Conversation Many Had Been Waiting For

For many participants, Unmute Kenya represented something they had rarely experienced before.

Several young people openly shared that they had never before participated in a dialogue where they could freely discuss issues directly affecting their daily lives without fear of judgment.

The session became more than a dialogue.

It became a learning space.

• A networking opportunity.

• A reflection session.

• A platform for encouragement.

• A reminder that young people are not alone in their struggles, and that together they can create solutions that benefit entire communities.

  
  

The dialogue concluded with youth-led recommendations and personal commitments centred on entrepreneurship, digital transformation, civic participation, responsible technology use, continuous learning, and stronger engagement in county development processes.

YOWPSUD's Reflection

For YOWPSUD, participating in Unmute Kenya: Youth Dialogue – Kilifi Edition reaffirmed the importance of creating spaces where young people feel heard, respected, and empowered to contribute meaningfully to conversations shaping their future.

The dialogue was hosted by Taylor Torch, YOWPSUD's Portfolio Lead for Peace and Security, Climate Change and Food Security, whose facilitation encouraged honest reflection, active participation, and solution-oriented discussions. Beyond facilitating conversation, the session demonstrated the need to sustain these engagements both online and offline, ensuring that more young people across Kilifi continue accessing information, opportunities, mentorship, and platforms where their voices influence development.

Appreciation to Distory and YADEN

YOWPSUD extends its sincere appreciation to Distory and YADEN East Africa for convening Unmute Kenya: Youth Dialogue – Kilifi Edition and creating a platform where young people could openly share their experiences, aspirations, concerns, and recommendations.

Such collaborative partnerships are essential in strengthening youth participation, promoting civic engagement, and ensuring that development conversations are informed by the lived realities of young people. By bringing together diverse voices and organizations, the dialogue demonstrated the value of collective action in advancing inclusive governance, peacebuilding, and sustainable development.

Beyond the Dialogue: Building a Sustainable Youth Movement

One of the key resolutions emerging from Unmute Kenya: Youth Dialogue – Kilifi Edition was the commitment by participants to ensure that the conversation does not remain a one-time engagement. Young people agreed on the importance of sustaining the connections created during the dialogue by transforming the platform into a continuous space for learning, collaboration, opportunity sharing, and collective growth.

Participants expressed the desire to remain connected as a network where they can continue exchanging ideas, identifying opportunities, supporting one another’s personal and professional development, and working together to address challenges affecting young people in Kilifi County. The vision is to build a community of young people who do not only meet to discuss challenges but also collaborate on solutions, share resources, explore opportunities, and celebrate each other's progress.

By keeping these conversations alive beyond the dialogue room, Unmute Kenya – Kilifi Edition seeks to nurture a culture of collective responsibility where young people grow together, learn from one another, and become active contributors to the social and economic transformation of their communities.

Together, let's keep unmuting Kenya.

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