What We Do
VUP Foundation is a vibrant youth led non-governmental organization in Kenya with interwoven fabric particularly in Rift Valley and Western Kenya whose aim and objectives is advancing the Youth Agenda. VUP Foundation is dedicated to networking young people to create positive and impacting change by motivating them to go beyond good ideas to finding real solutions. We work in partnership with socially and economically vulnerable youth organizations, government entities and private institutions aiming towards a just social order that guarantees equitable participation in decision making and sharing of opportunities. We are striving towards establishing just global governance by strengthening UN and regional forums. Locally, VUP Foundation is engaged with various organizations in promoting pro-poor approaches that enable young people to assert their rights and to influence policies of Government and Non-Governmental Organizations through issue-based approaches in order to generate and develop frameworks and coping mechanisms towards achieving self-reliance based on changing realities. VUP Foundation is providing opportunities and exposure to young people to be aware of socio-economic and socio-cultural institutions through which they can be empowered. It is in the best interest of VUP Foundation that issues of young people is given the priority it deserves as it is common knowledge to note that “even if the youth is not always right, the society that mistreats and ignores its youth, is always wrong” because “it is the fever of the youth that keeps the world at normal temperature and when the youth cools down, the rest of world has chattering teeth”,
Strategic Areas
Democracy and Governance
Good Governance depends on how citizens can hold leadership into account. VUP Foundation therefore stems this by focusing on Youth Leadership, participatory governance, Inclusive Democracy, Community Organizing and gender mainstreaming in which the locals participate in key decision making. We closely work with the local youth to influence change from the grass root. It also involves project identification in tandem with communities’ needs and priorities. While bringing leadership closer to the people, VUP Foundation aspires to advance a democratic space for reasonable participation.
Social Accountability
VUP Foundation initiates programs that build the capacity of the locals to query local leadership in the manner in which resources are prioritized and utilized. It involves Capacity Development of the local youth on social audit and Public Expenditure and Tracking. Of profound importance, the program focuses on building the capacity of young people on how to undertake effective budgeting process in line with integrated government development plans. It involves human and natural resource tracking.
Rights Advocacy
UP Foundation endeavors to increase citizen voices by lobbyinglocal, national and international experts, policy makers and other stakeholders on policy development and implementation particularly on youth policies, social justice, peace building and key national legislations notably the implementation of Kenya’s 2010 Constitution and other laws. It is trivial in VUP Foundation that rights of youth, the disabled, women and other minority groups are respected.
Youth Development
VUP Foundation manages projects that are centered on human growth and builds on inclusivity. We generate, document and publish the findings for further development and action. The idea behind youth development is to bring about sustainable change in local communities through innovative and learning approaches that enhances youth empowerment and community development. As such, this is possible through Youth Training’s, exchange visits, Talent Exploitation & entrepreneurship as a model for youth employment.
Environment
Green societies and economies are the futures of World investment. VUP Foundation therefore approaches environmental aspects by investing in human development and social capital that provides looking through the realities of Climate Change, Natural Resources Management and Livelihoods that support networking and provide learning opportunities for young people, practitioners, and policymakers.