In Africa, there is a growing need for young leaders who can play an active role in addressing the continent’s various challenges. The current generation of African leaders is aging, and there is a significant leadership gap in the pipeline. The need for young leaders is critical, given Africa’s youthful population, with over 60% of its population under the age of 25.
Young leaders in Africa can bring a fresh perspective and energy to the table, and they have the potential to drive social and economic progress. However, many young people in Africa face significant barriers to leadership, including limited access to education and training opportunities, political instability, and cultural biases against youth leadership.
To address these challenges, ICY AFRICA is running a Junior Leaders Program in Africa focused on developing young leaders. This initiative aim to provide young people with the skills, knowledge, and opportunities they need to become effective leaders in their communities and beyond. Through mentorship programs, leadership training, and other capacity-building initiatives, young leaders in Africa can build the skills and confidence they need to drive positive change and shape the continent’s future.
Children living near Homa Bay, West Kenya, were drowning because their community was too poor to have its own school and they faced many dangers trying to reach the nearest one. They now have Riverside school.
Previously, the children had to cross the Rivers Awach, Nyaliech and Maugo and Mountain Landa Nyadundo if they were to access schools over ten kilometres away, facing dangers such as flash floods and hippopotamuses. Many of the children at the school have AIDs and over half have lost their parents to the disease. Riverside school has stopped these drownings and provides crucial education and hope to give them a future. Without urgent help it will close in December, leaving these children vulnerable to the risks that claimed many of them before, if they have to travel to another school.
The ICY Junior Leaders Program (JLP) is a nine-month program for Primary and high school students who are interested in acquiring essential leadership skills and increasing civic engagement. The program aims to promote 21st-century skill development, including critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity, life and career skills, and information technology skills.
Monthly program days provide students with a behind-the-scenes look at ICY through on-site visits, guest speakers, and experiential learning activities. Students are introduced to various sectors of the community, including government, health and human services, business, and recreation.
As a part of the program, students will work on a class project that fosters leadership skills and service learning through a community impact project requiring research, action, and reflection. The project is designed to contribute to the betterment of the community while helping students to develop leadership skills and enhance their knowledge of civic engagement.
The program’s ultimate goal is to equip students with essential leadership skills that will enable them to take on leadership roles and actively engage with their communities.
If you are a primary or high school student looking to build essential leadership skills and play an active role in your community, we encourage you to apply for the ICY Junior Leaders Program.
The school was set up by ICY volunteers in 2012 when they learnt of the problems facing this community. It started as a mud-built building, and since then we’ve raised funds to upgrade it to a corrugated iron building with concrete floors. Unfortunately, this is no longer adequate to meet the standards required to safely look after these children, and a brick building is now required for the school to be allowed to continue to run. Without this, the school will close at the end of December leaving over 200 children at risk, so we need your help.
On behalf of the children of Riverside School, Kenya, thank you for your generosity.
Update!: We needed to build 8 Classrooms at a cost of £5,000 each but an amazing gift at the end of 2019 has enabled us to build 3 new classrooms and we are on the way to 5, so just 5 more to find support for .
Can you help by donating £3 now?
Or even £10!
Even better would be a £5 monthly donation.
Just click on the button, and help save Riverside School. We would so grateful for the support.
You can make a real difference by donating now and join the many others who are helping to make this happen.
Most of our supporters choose to support us through a regular subscription. £5 a month will make a significant difference to supporting these children.
If you can give more, either a one-off or subscription donation, please do. We are grateful for all support received..
Anything you can donate we would be very thankful for.
We are happy to keep you updated on the progress of the project, so please let us tick the box to let us know when you make your donation.