2025 Mbita Glocal Hub Spotlight

YouthxYouth Glocal Hubs are our locally-rooted, globally-supported homes for youth-led transformation of education, facilitated by resident youth weavers in partnership with allies and institutions to accelerate the process of young people influencing, designing, and creating systemic change.

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The Mbita Glocal hub (woven by Wilson Oding, Felix Bor, Trephia Caroline, Teddy Katono, and Felix Okeyo) is a youth-led Community Based organization in Kenya, Home Bay County nurturing and empowering communities for the well-being of people and the planet through Climate and Nature education and Women empowerment. The hub’s belief is that through knowledge sharing we acquire power to transform our environments and ourselves for fulfilling life. The hub’s aims is to provide continuous and adaptable learning among the youth and facilitate their process of action in creating sustainable and thriving ecosystems that works for all in this fast-paced technological landscape. The hub therefore provides an atmosphere that promotes the process of young people stepping into their power and designing and embracing a future where learning serves all.

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We asked Wilson, a weaver of the hub, what role they see youth playing in transforming Kenya's education system? Here is what Wilson had to say:

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Youth play a pivotal role in administrative functions and governance of a society and Kenyan youth are not an exception as they are at the centre of systems transformation as main catalysts of change. Kenyan youth have been radical in articulating their dissatisfaction with systems and institutions they feel are not serving them in the right way. In education, the youth have boldly voiced their learning needs and firsthand challenges they experience in the learning environment.

They have developed high dependence and consumption of social media contents with vibrant and active online presence. They are tech savvy who have learned how to adapt to and utilize emerging online tools and digital platforms. They easily navigate the online tools while researching, learning and sharing stories, ideas and news as they happen from time to time in different places. As education and learning in schools have become expensive, non-inclusive and with unequal opportunities for learners, youth have resorted to online learning using digital devices. They have created e-learning tools and platforms where they uplift each other and boost digital literacy. Most of them have advanced to be online tutors, facilitators and mentors through sharing tutorials, podcasts and webinars. Through this they have created a population of peer online learners who depend on online digital tools for knowledge and skills.

When the youth united with one voice to opposed the proposed finance bill 2024 terming it as exploitative, discriminative and punitive, their efforts bore fruit as the government dropped the bill and resorted to its amendment as per the demands aired by these young ambitious citizens. This is a testament to their strong force which can shape policies and governance in the education sector as well. The role of youth in transforming Kenya's education was also evident when Moi University faced liquidation and indefinitely closed down, the youth were the first people to cry out and expose what had caused this institution of higher learning to come to closure. It was through their effort that they managed to unmask faces of corruption that embezzled funds and left the school bankrupt. Their demand for accountability and transparency helped to bring the faces of corruption to book to face the law and carry the burden of poor governance. This therefore explains the powerful role that the youth play in shaping their community and systems within which they live.

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YouthxYouth: What would "transformed education" look like in Mbita in 10 years?

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We envision a transformed education system to be one that gives focus to skills and competency which builds good qualities and values in the learners and making them match opportunities and become job creators rather than job hunters. Current system inadequately prepares learners for real live hurdles and how to adapt and fit into emerging global issues. Our vision for Kenya is for it to be a country where education nurtures learners holistically and makes them capable of utilizing their full potential and creativity.

We dream of a country whose education system is adaptable, inclusive, equitable and accessible to all irregardless of gender, ethnicity, disability or financial status. All schools in urban and rural areas will be equipped with quality facilities and have conducive learning environment where food is not the reason why learners  become truants. The curricular will hopefully integrate local and global needs and networks and make learners confidently address local issues with global perspectives and assurance of realism due to exposure.

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YouthxYouth: What would you want other communities to know about your hub?

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YxY Mbita Glocal Hub is an open place for people to come and share their experiences , skills and resources as they learn, re-remember, re-configure, re-name and reclaim their authenticity and be the best versions of themselves.

We invite collaborators, co-creators and partners for a collective goal of creating a thriving ecosystem. We nurture talents and promotes ideas through creative processes that make learning and contribution meaningful and fun.

To connect with us please email at mbita@youthxyouth.com or via our social pages: IG - youthxyouthmbitaglocal_hub

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Here for from Mbita Glocal Hub here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DN2h1nPWEqW/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==