Youth City Project
This is a paragraph. It is connected to a CMS collection through a dataset. Click “Edit Text” to update content from the connected collection.
Youth City Project
Youth City Project
What is this project about?
The Youth City Project is a bold, youth-led initiative transforming informal settlements and low-income neighborhoods across Sub-Saharan Africa into vibrant, inclusive, economically productive and climate-resilient spaces. Running from 2024 to 2027, the project operates in Nairobi, Kampala, Harare, Bulawayo, and Freetown. In Nairobi, we’re working in Dandora, Korogocho, and Kamukunji, empowering young people to reclaim public spaces, spark local innovation, and shape cities that work for youth.
What problem are we solving?
In this project’s context, urban youth in Africa face three interconnected challenges:
First, they lack access to clean, safe, inclusive, and dignified public spaces—spaces that starkly reflect the continent’s deepening social inequities.
Second, despite being the largest demographic group, young people are largely excluded from city planning processes, even though they are the most affected by urban policies.
Finally, limited economic opportunities further entrench their marginalization, reinforcing both their social and civic exclusion.
As a result, young people remain sidelined in congested, underserved environments. This project sets out to change that.
What is our Theory of Change?
IF youth are equipped with the right tools, skills, and platforms, they become powerful agents of transformation. They can reclaim and reimagine neglected public spaces, turning them into aspirational, dignified hubs of community life. These revitalized spaces not only restore a sense of pride and belonging but also serve as launchpads for youth-led enterprises and livelihood opportunities. In doing so, young people affirm their leadership within the community and gain the voice and influence needed to shape local policies that affect their lives.
What do we hope to achieve?
Clean, green, and youth-led public spaces
Income-generating opportunities tied to space transformation
Active youth engagement in urban governance
A regional network of climate-smart youth leaders
What are the Key Activities for 2025?
Public Space Transformation and climate resilience
Youth co-design and lead space rehabilitation projects in their communities while ensuring resilience to climate change impacts.
Youth City Changing Faces Competition
We run public space transformation competitions which is a fun and creative way to mobilise youth to join in the public space improvement campaigns
Micro-grants for transformation
We issue grants to youth teams to catalyse creative, sustainable placemaking interventions as designed by the community.
Youth Entrepreneurship
We support business ideas that emerge from revitalized public spaces which support the livelihoods of the youth and maintenance of the space.
Community Stewardship
We offer training to help youth CBOs to build internal capacities in leadership, organisational and financial management, and civic advocacy which helps them become credible and lasting agents of change.
Public Space Advocacy
We collect data and stories on the impact of transformation and run campaigns that amplify youth voices in city planning and policy reform.
What is the project timeline?
2024 – Launch, youth mobilization and business development training
2025 – Placemaking pilots, resilience mapping and rolling out of income generating activities
2026 – Building advocacy alliance and strategy
2027 – Impact evaluation and policy scaling
Want to Get Involved? We are seeking collaborations with:
If you're passionate about youth, urban equity, or youth entrepreneurship and climate action, we could use your help in supporting:
The entrepreneurship activities being undertaken by the youth in the rehabilitated spaces
Ensuring the resilience of the rehabilitated spaces
Collecting and documenting impact stories
Training CBOs in organisational development
Partner with us. Contribute your expertise. Champion inclusive cities. we want to hear from you.