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A Voice For the Voiceless

The Advocacy Project helps marginalized communities to tell their story, claim their rights and produce social change. We recruit graduate students to volunteer as Peace Fellows with partners.

The Impact of Service "Speaking with locals and living in a country is the best way to learn about the real lives of citizens, not just the stories in the mainstream media. I will be more critical of what I read as a result of this experience. I also feel even more grateful for my education, and I feel a stronger responsibility to assist others who do not have resources or access to opportunities in their communities." Maria Skouras (New York University) volunteered in 2011 as a Peace Fellow for eHomemakers in Malaysia. For more 2011 feedback click here.

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Undugu Society of Kenya

 



The Undugu Society of Kenya's mission is to contribute to the socio-economic empowerment of  vulnerable youth and children in marginalized poor urban and rural communities through lobbying, advocacy, capacity building, access to education and training and creation of linkages aimed at reducing poverty for the attainment of decent livelihoods. (Source: The Undugu Society)



The Undugu Society of Kenya was founded over thirty years ago to provide a voice for Kenya's disadvantaged youth and vulnerable children. Due to high rates of poverty in urban as well as rural communities, a large amount of Kenya's youth ends up in the streets, where many turn to drugs and crime. USK strives to increase vocational and educational opportunities as well as influence legislature addressing topics such as the sale and use of inhalant drugs.

• USK provides education and training for poor and marginalized children through its Undugu Basic Education Programme (UBEP) and Informal Skills Training Programme (ISTP). 
  • The Undugu Basic Education Programme provides a free primary education to poor children that cannot afford the costs associated with formal schools or learn in the atmosphere in such schools. USK has four schools, located in Kibera, Mathare, Pumwani and Ngomongo. Students are not required to wear uniforms and all supplies are provided by USK.
  • The Informal Skills Training Programme helps poor and marginalized youth receive vocational skills training so that they can become self-sufficient. USK helps students find a trainer so that the youth can work side by side with him or her to learn practical skills such as hair dressing, dress making, mechanics, driving and more. Students also attend a weekly theory class in their trade, which is organized by USK.

• USK also has a Children and Youth Programme that tries to rehabilitate and reintegrate children living and/or working on the streets with their families and communities.
  • USK has a reception center, Kitengela, that is a temporary place of safety for children rescued from the streets. At this center, help is available for the immediate needs of the children but they are free to walk in and out at will. The idea is to give them a chance to gradually see the need for change. At this stage the children are able to access basic needs such as food, shelter, clothing and medical care.
  • USK also has an innovative way of helping children and youth improve their lives and eventually get off the streets. USK does this through Street Associations, groups of children and youth that come together as a support network. Association members help each other with their problems, including drug abuse, police harassment and meeting basic needs. USK field officers help form these associations and make sure they are sustained over time. The end goal is to have association members eventually leave the streets and work with USK in helping those still there.
  • The organization has an innovative new idea of equipping their members with the Undugu Street Association Card as part of USK's attempt to stop unwarranted arrests of poor and marginalized children and youth. The child can show the card to a police officer to prevent getting arrested unjustifiably. If the child does end up getting arrested, he/she can call the USK's phone number on the back of the card to get rescued from jail. For more information about this initiative, read Jonathan Homer's blog titled 'The Undugu Get Out of Jail Free Card' June 28, 2007.

• The Community Empowerment Programme aims to develop communities economically to reduce poverty through a self-help model.

• There is also a Fair Trade Programme that generates income and finds markets for the poor. USK has been involved in fair trade for several years by selling Kenyan handicrafts to international markets at fair prices. Its fair trade program was created to increase the economic sufficiency of communities whose children were at risk of being left to the streets due to poverty. USK is currently working to expand its fair trade program to include advocacy work for better regulations and protections of Kenyan producers dealing in the international market.

• The Undugu Society has successfully helped thousands of poor and marginalized children and youth over the past thirty years through rehabilitation and providing services.  As a part of its current strategic plan, USK is now shifting from solely providing services to also engaging in advocacy and lobbying work. USK wants to address the key causes of children living on the streets and help poor and marginalized communities more generally through advocacy. It is working diligently for permanent changes that will prevent children from ending up on the streets and aid them in their rehabilitation and reintegration back into society.
  • Recently, the Government of Kenya created free primary education for all primary aged children. However, over a million Kenyan children are not enrolled due to the cost of the required school uniform and other school fees. USK is identifying solutions to these barriers and preparing to advocate for the appropriate changes. 
  • A drug of choice for children living on the streets in Kenya is glue. The Kenyan government has outlawed selling glue and other inhalants to children for purposes of sniffing, but has not enforced the law. Currently, glue is sold and sniffed in the open with no fear of arrest or punishment.  The Undugu Society is creating a lobbying campaign to convince the Kenyan government and police to enforce laws against those who sell glue to children for sniffing.
  • The Government of Kenya has created nine decentralized funds that are intended for development and aid projects. The funds are supposed to be administered at the local level and community members are supposed to have a say in how the funds are used. However, most of the funds have not been effectively used and community members have had little say in how the funds are spent. USK is engaging in an advocacy campaign to teach community members about the funds and teach them how they can voice their opinions about their use.
  • Children and youth living and working on the streets often face harassment by police, including unwarranted arrest. USK is working to discuss this problem with authorities in an effort to end discrimination against poor and marginalized children and youth.

• Press Releases

USK publishes news on the news section of their website.

August 11, 2008
Kenyan Children and Youth Learn to Use New Media to Advocate for their Rights, Change Stereotypes

• Reports

USK publishes a magazine named Tumaini.

• Advocacy Project News Bulletins: AP has published bulletins about USK through the news service, AdvocacyNet.

• Blogs

In 2008, AP sent Peace Fellow Kristina Rosinsky to work with USK.  Read Kristina's blog. 

In 2007, AP sent Peace Fellow Jonathan Homer to work with USK.  Read Jonathan's blog.

December 1, 2008
Study: Glue-Sniffing Epidemic Rampant Among Kenyan Street Children
Voice of America News

October 2008
Digital Storytelling Project helps young Kenyans speak out
UNICEF Media Magic

May 28, 2008
The Glue That Blinds
Independent Online

July 1, 2006
Group Tries New Way to Help Kenya Kids
The Washington Post

January 2, 1991
Nairobi Street Children Play Games of Despair
The New York Times



Outreach Partners

African Medical Research Foundation (AMREF) African Network for the Prevention and Protection Against Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN-Kenya) All African Conference of Children CARE International in Kenya Catholic Archdiocese of Kenya CHANDRIA Child Welfare Society of Kenya Christian Children’s Fund Dagoretti Children Centre Edelval Trust Home Family Planning Association of Kenya Forum for African Women Educationalists Girls’ Brigade Kenya IMANI, The Marianists Kibagare Good News Centre Kenya Aids Society Kenya Alliance for the Advancement of Children Kenya Association of Professional Counselors Kenya Association for the Protection of Adolescent Health Kenya Association of Youth Organizations Kenya Girls Guides Association Kenya Institute of Education   Kenya Institute of Mass Communication

Kenya Medical Women’s Association   Kenya Red Cross   Kenya Scouts Association   Mathare Youth Sports Association   Mukuru Promotion Centre   Oasis Counseling Centre   Our Lady Queen of Peace   St. John’s Ambulance   Salesion of Don Bosco   Shangilia Mtoto wa Afrika SOS Children’s Village Kenya    Starehe Boys Centre   Watototo Wa Lwanga Street Children’s Project Wholistic Caring and Counseling Centre (WC&CC)   World Vision Kenya   YMCA/YWCA   Young Muslim Association   Young Street Girls’ Project-Rescue Dada Centre   Youth With a Mission

• Website

Undugu's website has information about their history, programmes and success stories.

• Blogs

USK has started a blog on its website. Read USK's blog.

• Digital Storytelling Project

Beneficiaries of USK are taught how to use ICT tools such as photography and blogging to advocate for their rights. This is a new program launched in June 2008 by AP Peace Fellow Kristina Rosinsky. It is hoped that their blogs and photographs will change negative public perceptions of poor children and youth, including those that live on the streets. Additionally, the information they produce will be used by USK in its advocacy efforts locally and internationally to change policies that affect their lives. Learn more.

Contact:
Ruth Kihiu
Woodvale Grove Rd.
Westlands
Nairobi
Kenya
020 444454280

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