Greening the FutureWith Women &YouthLed Initiatives
What We Do
Our mission is to create a world where every individual, regardless of gender,
socio-economic status, or background, has the opportunity to thrive. With global disparities in education, gender equality, and climate awareness, Goya Afrique Foundation (GAF) is committed to bridging these gaps through our programs. Our initiatives focus on Gender
Equality & Women Empowerment, Climate Change Action, and Mentorship, fostering
sustainable development and leadership among youth.
GOYA AFRIQUE FOUNDATION (GAF) PROGRAMS
Gender Equality & Women Empowerment
At GAF, we are dedicated to advancing gender equality by ensuring that both women and men have equal access to opportunities and resources. According to the World Economic Forum, the global gender gap is projected to take 132 years to close, underscoring the ongoing challenges women face in achieving parity. Furthermore, UNICEF reports that over 130 million girls worldwide remain out of school, primarily due to socio-economic barriers such as poverty and cultural norms.
We believe in equality for all. We call for equal enjoyment of opportunities, resources and rewards by women and men. Access should be equal to all regardless of one’s gender.
Aspirations must be valued equally. Our work directly addresses these challenges through educational support and advocacy for women’s health.
Projects under the gender equality program:
a) TUWEZESHANE Initiative.
Gender equality (SDG 5) and leadership are key goals of governance and
development in Africa and globally. Misimplementation and the gaps don’t just affect individuals, they affect an entire economy. Despite such facts, misimplementation has seen a societal decay on the rise. There is an upsurge in the number of homicide reports in Kenya. Uncensored political conversations continue the immoral narratives and publicly displaying actions that advocate for Gender Based Violence (GBV) with verbal attacks from our leaders. GAF advocates against GBV to reframe leadership and gender equality.
Our Tuwezeshane initiative pays attention to empowering women on entrepreneurial skills, as well as focus on Sexual and Reproductive Health Education (SRHE) among young boys and girls. SRHE is a right to everyone and is paramount for everyone to access to be able to make tangible and informed decisions. We advocate for sexual and reproductive health rights for all
and support young girls with sanitary towels in primary schools. By distributing
sanitary towels and providing educational resources, GAF helps keep girls in school
and supports their health and well-being. Most parents, especially those in rural
Kenya hardly pay attention to the needs of their young girls due to poverty. Access to sexual and reproductive health education is a fundamental right. We advocate for comprehensive education, especially in rural areas on premarital sex, STDs,
unplanned pregnancies and laws governing sex for minors where such topics are often neglected.
b) HELP (Help Education Incapability Programme).
GAF identifies and sponsors needy children, particularly girls, by providing them
with safe housing and access to education in boarding schools. This holistic support
ensures they receive not only an education but also mentorship and basic needs,
giving them the chance to escape the cycle of poverty. Our approach aligns with the
UN’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 4) of ensuring inclusive and equitable
quality education for all.
There are many bright yet needy children in orphanage homes, streets and those from
extremely poor backgrounds in rural Kenya who would wish to be in school.
Thousands of such children do nothing but watch their peers dress nicely and walk
past them to school. Goya Afrique under HELP aims to advocate, sponsor and
mobilise well wishers in giving a hand and support a child to boarding schools and
ensuring their basic needs are met. We believe that reducing the illiteracy margin will
eventually narrow gender gaps eventually.
CLIMATE CHANGE
The climate crisis is one of the greatest challenges of our time. As highlighted by UNESCO, youth-led movements have become pivotal in addressing climate change, driving global action and policy change. At GAF, we engage youth by empowering them with knowledge and practical tools to take action on climate issues and advocate for sustainable practices.Each and every individual is responsible for ensuring we apply practical efforts to mitigate effects of climate change and therefore GAF has taken steps to inform youth about climate change and advocate for environmental conservation.
Projects under the climate program Include :
a) Climate Mtaani programme
GAF introduced the COP (Conference of the Parties) in MyCity project to Kenya, a
climate simulation developed by CliMates, an international youth led think and do tank.
This empowerment programme offers capacity building and briefings for youth on
technical issues covered by the COPs, it also bridges the representation gap for youth in
the Global South by connecting them to the global climate negotiations process,
inspiring them to drive local action. By engaging in simulations of the UN Climate
Change Conference, participants gain a deeper understanding of policy-making, Climate
Finance and other technical skills required in order to become ambassadors for
sustainable solutions in their communities.
Through this program, we have empowered a total of 500 youth who have participated in
our COP simulation and other climate action initiatives, engaging in meaningful
conversations and actions on environmental sustainability.
b) The Mazingira Initiative
The Mazingira initiative focuses on gender and climate. We try to answer the
question, who is the most affected with changes in climate? Traditionally, women and
girls were tasked with fetching water and collecting firewood in order to prepare
meals for the family. These roles still exist especially in rural Sub Saharan Africa
Climate change, deforestation and poverty has seen women and girls go longer
distances in search of water and firewood for their day to day use. We believe
providing an alternative energy source will play a major role in reducing impacts of
climate change on the rural areas Through the Mazingira Initiative, GAF provides
energy saving jikos for rural women. We believe this is a good and impact proven
initiative to save rural forests and women from long trips in search of firewood.
Our Mazingira Initiative also stretches further to providing environmental education
and supporting other local initiatives. GAF runs community-based projects like
tree-planting campaigns, renewable energy workshops, and climate action clubs in
schools. Research shows that tree planting can help absorb up to 25% of global
carbon emissions (Plant for the Planet, UN). These initiatives not only raise awareness
but also encourage youth to take tangible actions toward environmental sustainability.
THE MENTORSHIP CLUB
Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders requires more than just the school syllabus. Mentorship plays a critical role in shaping young leaders. GAF’s mentorship programs are designed to develop leadership skills, build confidence, and empower youth to become change-makers in their communities. Goya Afrique Foundation has been on the forefront of effectively mentoring and coaching teenagers, young men and women in an effort to shape perspectives
on leadership and to help them develop admirable leadership skills.
We run The Mentorship Club in Kenyan schools, orphanage/children homes, youth clubs, young women leaders groups, and among other like minded organizations to equip and prepare participants with essential leadership skills, including, critical thinking, communication, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
These skills are crucial in preparing young people to take on leadership roles in both their professional and personal lives. Research from the Journal of Vocational Behavior shows that structured mentorship
programs can increase leadership skills by 30%, leading to better career satisfaction and higher levels of civic engagement. We go a great mile on a case to case basis to pair youth with experienced mentors and coaches who provide guidance in personal and professional growth. This tailored approach ensures that each mentee receives the support they need to overcome challenges and succeed.
Our mentorship program has empowered countless young
people, many of whom have gone on to become leaders in their communities and industries.
More than 500 young adults have benefited from our mentorship programs, gaining the leadership skills needed to take on roles of influence in their communities.
Our Mentorship Club also supports basic school stationeries, as well the club runs a Pad drive concurrently to keep the girl child at school during her menstrual period days.