Grassroots youth forums being conducted across Mombasa County are helping young people openly discuss drug and substance abuse, HIV/AIDS and other challenges affecting their lives, according to a Monitoring and Evaluation Assistant with the Kijana Salama Project.
Nadya Abeid said the forums, implemented under the Kijana Salama Project by Reachout Centre Trust, have covered all six sub-counties of Jomvu, Changamwe, Likoni, Nyali, Kisauni and Mvita, with young people being encouraged to share their experiences and perspectives on issues affecting them.
She said the project has deliberately adopted an approach that begins by listening to young people before introducing interventions aimed at addressing drug and substance abuse and HIV/AIDS.
“We have to listen to them and understand their perspective and understanding before we carry on with the grassroots activities,” Abeid said.
According to Abeid, the approach has created what young people consider a safe space, enabling some of them to openly discuss challenges they might otherwise struggle to share.
She said the forums have also encouraged peer-to-peer engagement, with young people taking an active role in discussing drug prevention, HIV prevention and responsible sexual behaviour with their peers.
“Our youthful peer educators are implementing the grassroots forums across Mombasa County, meeting the youth where they are and engaging them on how they can also contribute in fighting drugs and substance abuse among themselves,” she said.
Skills alternative to idleness
Abeid said the project also recognises unemployment, idleness and lack of meaningful networks as some of the challenges that can leave young people vulnerable to drug and substance abuse.
She said Kijana Salama has therefore incorporated vocational training and livelihood support to help young people develop skills they can use to generate income.
Among the areas young people are being introduced to are crochet, beauty therapy and baking, while others are being encouraged to explore opportunities available through digital platforms.
Abeid said smartphones, which are widely used by young people, could also become tools for economic empowerment if used responsibly.
“Most of our youth use their smartphones for entertainment, scrolling to see other people’s content and just wasting time watching some indecent contents online. If they are fully informed of ways to use the digital space responsibly and earn from it, then it will be a milestone in their lives,” she said.
She said some beneficiaries were already using their talents and digital platforms to develop income-generating activities and build personal brands beyond their immediate communities.
From training to business
Among the young people cited as beneficiaries is Dorah Msungu, who has started a popcorn business while also making and selling crochet products.
Dorah said her involvement with Kijana Salama had also given her an opportunity to become a peer educator and HIV testing and counselling assistant.
“Initially I was just among my circle back at home. However, after being informed by a friend about Kijana Salama Project, I enrolled and took everything seriously. Today I serve as a peer educator under the project but I use the same network to sell my products. No idling around and I am very grateful,” she said.
Another beneficiary, Mwinyifaki Omar, says skills among them driving, computer basic packages and other training through the initiative has given them skills to use in seeking employment.
Omar said he now spends part of his time engaging other young people in Mvita Sub-County on HIV prevention and the dangers of drug and substance abuse.
[Miriam Nawire (Left) with Dorah Msungu displaying their products during the recent International Youth Day Exhibition at Tononoka, Mombasa on August 12, 2026. Photo/Joseph Ngala/RCT/August 24, 2026].
“I always take time to engage my peers on HIV and AIDS, the wrath of drugs and substance abuse and how youth can take control of their lives, not their lives be under the control of drugs,” he said.
He said helping other young people remain safe had become a personal passion.
The Kijana Salama Project focuses on Adolescents and Young People (AYP), with its interventions combining prevention awareness, peer engagement and skills development.
