Empower
In 2022, the Jigiyaso Centre Association supported the rightsholders to conduct aware- ness-raising and income-generating activities. These activities included the making of videos, theatre, and dance. Additionally, the young people were taught to make jewel- lery and accessories which would be sold with the help of the association and profits shared among the youth. These initiatives were especially significant because they helped the rightsholders, as well as the com- munity members, get a real view of what the lives of these young people are like and helped them to get an appreciation of their innate capaci- ties. These efforts helped dispel the stigma surrounding disability and provided opportunities for the right- sholder to build social networks, a key step in promoting their societal integration.
alongside other champions to co-create a community of practice where advocates and allies are joint- ly working to contribute to widening the political space for LGBTQIA+ people. This space provides oppor- tunities to amplify collective nar- ratives and voices of rightsholders which will in turn continue to make the grassroots and invisible voices more visible. It will also contribute to continued learning which con- tributes to the enhancement of the impact and sustainability of these alliances. The future is today Stretchers Youth Organisation, a grantee partner in Kenya through their project titled “Mobilize Empower Actualize Transform” (MEAT) aimed to promote increased peaceful inclusion of youth in po- litical processes in the Kenyan gen- eral elections in August 2022. Even though young people represent the largest demographic and political constituency at about 75% of the general population, their partici- pation in actual decision-making is very limited. In recent years, strides have been made in enhancing youth engagement in politics and political processes. However, a lot still needs to be done to ensure that they are participating in a meaningful manner. To address this challenge, youth affiliated with the project mentored Youth Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) including support- ing them to develop their manifes- tos. These efforts contributed to significant breakthroughs for some
of the youth leaders and the visions they have to transform the lives of youths in their wards. Specifically, three aspirants mentored by the project won elective posts as MCAs and were all first-time office holders. Their wins were important as they will likely encourage other youth to take bold steps and work on their own leadership journeys. These examples are evidence that ongoing empowerment processes are shaping the journeys of right- sholders at various levels, from the socio-economic to the political. As rightsholders and grantee partners take stronger ownership, demon- strate proactiveness, and lead with boldness they contribute to shifting disempowering narratives and trans- form their own lives. I want to thank Stretchers Youth Organisation for engaging with me during the campaign trail through their activities at Tsimba golini Ward. It is through these engagements that I got to learn of how as an MCA needs to conduct myself and prioritize community needs. After which I restructured my manifesto to a people centered manifesto. Today I am glad to say am an elected MCA. HON YUSUF SENGEZA
203 rightshold- er groups have a safe space to convene, share concerns and exchange ideas and experiences 64 formal and informal groups presented their own change agendas to external stakeholders
Edward Sakwa, Stretchers Youth Organisation sharing experiences at the Voice Regional Knowledge Exchange on Youth and Political Participation
Tools made by young people with psychosocial disabilities from JIGUIYA SO in Mali
Channelling life into dreams
51 Empower- ment projects supported 2016-2022
The Jigiyaso Centre Association has been implementing a project aimed at promoting the socio-economic empowerment of youth with mental disabilities in Kati, Mali. The young people are often heavily constrained by stigma, discrimination and even repression in some cases. As a result, some family members also have a hard time letting them take part in socio-economic activities. These and other reasons continue to limit their socio-economic integration. Nonetheless, the right- sholders remain undaunted by these challenges. They are committed to pursuing their dreams, building their social networks, and earning their dignified place within their communities. “My daughter used to be isolated and hardly spoke to anyone, but as soon as she started her activities with the centre she blossomed. She helps me with the cleaning, and we talk together sometimes and she is always excited to tell the other kids what she is doing. Now my daughter is blossoming, and I am happy.” A MOTHER OF ONE OF THE RIGHTSHOLDERS
Living the pride
Initiatives and Movement for Gender Liberation Against Discrimination (IMGLAD), an Empowerment grantee partner has been implementing a project aimed at shaping an equitable, free, and safe society in Mindanao, Philippines for the LGBTQIA+ community. Their inter- ventions have been particularly important considering the increas- ing attacks on the LGBTI movement and rightsholders in many parts of the world. Anchoring on the gains of their previous project, the aim of which was to empower and elevate the voices of LGBTQIA+ people, IMGLAD is taking the lead to strengthen their movement. Specifically, in 2022 they rallied
To Empower: A process by which rightsholders gain power over their own life and take their own decisions by creating safe spaces to meet, increasing their confi- dence and building awareness and skills. In 2022, grantee partners and rightsholders continued to consolidate and strengthen their own efforts geared toward protection of their human rights and their access to development opportunities. Despite various challeng- es ranging from the high levels of inflation and insecurity to the shrinking civic space in some countries, the anecdotes below reconfirm the key assumption of the empower pathway of change— that real power comes from within. Further, nurturing and developing innate strengths and learning how to leverage them for one’s own good cascades to uplifting whole communities.
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