MOMBASA, Kenya—Thirty-three young people from across Mombasa County have undergone leadership and mentorship training aimed at strengthening their ability to influence their peers positively and promote peaceful coexistence in their communities.
The participants, aged between 13 and 18, completed a three-day programme organised by Search for Common Ground, which focused on leadership, governance, communication, self-awareness and accountability.
The training comes as young people spend an extended school holiday, a period when parents and community leaders have been urged to provide constructive activities and closer guidance to protect children from harmful influences.
Search for Common Ground project lead Wahida Mohammad said the initiative sought to strengthen leadership qualities already demonstrated by young people in their communities and equip them to become positive role models.
“Most of them are already leaders in their own spaces, but we saw the need to equip them further so that they can become better leaders and influence their peers positively,” Mohammad said.
She said the organisation expected the participants to share the knowledge acquired with other young people, extending the programme’s impact beyond the initial group.
One of the participants, Ignicius Baraza from Jomvu, said the training had improved his confidence to engage fellow youths and encourage them to shun drug abuse.
Baraza said he had already begun reaching out to other young people, with some responding positively. He also pointed to youth-led activities, including community clean-ups and efforts to identify employment opportunities, as ways of strengthening unity and keeping young people engaged in constructive initiatives.
Assistant County Commissioner for Island Division Lucy Kafura challenged parents and community leaders to take greater responsibility for guiding children, saying young people’s conduct is often influenced by the behaviour they observe among adults.
“The children and the youth are emulating the society that we are,” Kafura said, calling for greater tolerance and peaceful approaches to resolving disagreements.
She cautioned political leaders against involving minors in political activities or exposing them to harmful situations, urging parents to monitor their children’s movements, understand their social circles and maintain open communication.
Kafura further encouraged young people to take advantage of mentorship programmes and organised holiday activities as they await the reopening of schools.
Lead trainer Ali Salim said the sessions focused on practical life skills that participants could apply at home, in school and within their communities.
He called for sustained collaboration between government agencies, parents and community organisations to ensure that mentorship continues beyond the three-day programme.
Organisers said they hoped to expand future training cohorts to reach more young people and strengthen community cohesion through dialogue and non-violent approaches to addressing local challenges.
