Mukuru Youth Initiative is committed to enhance the community engagement in decision making, development and service delivery within the community, through the Sauti za Mtaa project we shall be able to amplify community voices through arts and also ensure duty bearers listen to the community needs for a greater and more developed and successful community.

Objectives

• Train artist on turning community issue in to different artforce focusing on Music and Comic book
• Hold Community forum to get to understand community issues inform of priority
• Create music and comic book to highlight the issues from the forums
• Present the different art form to different duty bearers and conduct consultative meeting in order to get commitment on sorting out some of the community issues.
• Use the comics to create public awareness on ways the community can engage duty bearers to ensure service delivery.

COMMUNITY FORUMS.

Common issues arising from the attendants from Kwa Reuben  and Kwa Njenga.

• Unemployment for the youths in the area
• Poor housing
• Police brutality
• Drug abuse
• Poor waste management
• Power outages
• Insufficient sources of water supply
• Crime
• Lack of enough public schools in the area
• Poor and even lack of roads in some areas
• Poor drainage
• GBV
• Increased teenage pregnancies

Issues that were specific to Kwa Njenga

• no open market in the area
• harassment from nyumba kumi leaders
• fear of demolition of their properties without notice
• no drugs in hospitals
• land grabbing
• increased immorality
• child trafficking

Issues that were specific to Kwa Reuben

• Lack of a social hall
• Lack of platforms to express their views
• Leaders like the MCA are inaccessible.
• Pollution caused by industries.

The following are some of the solutions that the participants offered in regards to the challenges raised:

• Create access to youth funds to start up businesses
• Choosing the leaders who understand the problems of people
• Installation of street lights to reduce crime rates
• Collective responsibility from community members to speak out and let their needs be heard and known to their leaders.
• Be vigilant in attending more public participation forums.