Mukuru Youth Initiative (MuYI) is a community art based organization focused on impacting the Mukuru community and building a community of young change makers. MuYI focuses on four strategic objectives; Art for Expression, Social Enterprise, Civic Engagement and Climate Justice. Mukuru use art to make awareness on proper hygiene and sanitation practices and has been instrumental in Covid19 awareness in the settlement.

MuYI was born out of a organizing of the Mukuru Awards initiated in 2013 in response to lack of proper platform for youths to showcase and address the issues affecting the community. Mukuru Awards operating on a hanging surface gave birth to Mukuru Youth Initiative which became operational in September 2015 in order to have a long-term platform to have a long term solution and have a day to day operation and engagement with the youths.

Mukuru informal settlement is in the East of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. It is Embakasi south Constituency, stretches into Makadara and Starehe constituencies. It is one of the largest slums in Nairobi. It stretches along the Nairobi Ngong river, situated on waste lands in the industrial area of the city between the Outer Ring Road and the North Airport Road and mombasa road. Mukuru has villages: Mukuru kwa Reuben, Mukuru kwa Njenga, Sinai, Paradise, Jamaica, Kingstone, Lunga Lunga, Mariguini, Fuata Nyayo and Kayaba. The population of the slum is estimated to be over 700000.

Vision

Our vision is a community that is free from social vices and youths who are focused on seeing the community develop both socially and economically.

Mission

To nourish the seeds of knowledge, art and innovation within the hearts of the youth, being a thriving tree, shading all cultures of our community, and eventually bear the fruits of a unified, developed and successful community.

Our Objective

• Increase social consciousness and support in social development by creating support networks and increase youth engagement in community development.
• To increase self sufficiency in among youth through creating a platform where youths can earn a living through arts and skills development.
• To improve the safety of the community by making sure youths don’t participate in crime and drug abuse related activities by engaging them in positive activities.
• Increase youth participation in political decision and making them aware of good governance.