While many young people struggle to find a life after a life of drug addiction and other criminal activities, a group of youth in Nairobi’s Kabagare informal settlements is offering a second chance to the reformed young men and women.
Our Reporter Judy Ndunge speaks to Youths Campaign against crime in the heart of Kabagare slum is an organisation founded in 2016 with the purpose of advocating for peace and reformation for youths involved in crime. Most of its members having reformed had a better understanding of its repercussions as well as the negative perception the community had concerning those who have mended their ways explains Gideon Mbinya the organizations Secretary and program Coordinator of Youths Campaign Against Crime…
“It is not always easy to rehabilitate drug addicts and reformed criminals back to the society. But at our organization – Youth Campaign Against Crime, we are passionate about restoring the dignity of these young ones.
Founded in 2016, Youths Campaign Against Crime in the heart of Kabagare slum in Nairobi advocates for peace and reformation for youths involved in crime. Most of its members having reformed had a better understanding of its repercussions as well as the negative perception the community had concerning those who have mended their ways. We also undertsnd the challenge of rejection by the very community that these reformed youth are planning to join.
“For the longest time our community here was characterized with what was expected of a slum; very insecure, polluted, high rate of unemployment among other vices. And when we were children we grew in that setting and got into crime. I was personally in this life 11 years ago. But I was fortunate to reform and lead a normal decent life out of crime. This is why I decided to be the voice of reason to our brothers and sisters who still remained in that path of crime and drug abuse.
Apart from just talking to the youths to reform, we use this platform to also offer counselling ,connect the youths to job opportunities as well as partner with other organisation to recruit them for community service .
“Besides the plea to have them transform, we are keen to see the young people find alternative ways of linving in order for them to stay out of drugs and other criminal activities. We start by offering them counselling services to let them know that we care and that they are not alone. Then we get to involve them in community work such as food drives, community clean-up and community dialogue with law enforcers with the intention of getting them accepted back in the community and having their issues addressed.
After analysing their progress we get in touch with other organisation and institutions and connect them to work opportunities even within the neighborhood. Through it they get to be decent people and get to transform their community for the better,
The group of 25 volunteer members have to date reached out to over 500 people through those projects. Once in a while, the community and other organizations support the efforts by this team.
“We as an organisation can really say we’ve seen a tremendous change in our community. Apart from having some of the youths getting not just temporary jobs but permanent ones too. Some have immersed themselves in sporting activities like football by joining local teams. We’ve also been able to partner with other organisation to offer other services to our community like getting hand washing booths for them especially during the Covid-19 period. We recently partnered with Amref Health Africa for a community session to sensitize the community on drug use among school going children. Through this, we we were able to identify the children affected mostly and involved their parents and children officers to get them enrolled in a rehabilitation center which we count as an achievement.
In the next 10 years, we want to have Youth Campaign Against Crime in all parts of Kenya and spearhead crime reduction in Kenya by 95% in the country through providing alternatives to the youths involved in drugs and crime.”
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