By Chris David
The National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) launched an ambitious youth-oriented partnership with the Smart Mechanized Agriculture & Climate Action for Humanity & Sustainability (SMACHS) Foundation and the Young People Network International, spearheaded by its Founder and CEO, Charlene Ruto.
The pact, cemented by a high-impact discussion at NGAAF offices, is a step in daring directions towards empowering Kenya’s youth through climate-smart action and economic innovation.
Convened by NGAAF CEO Roy Sasaka, the session brought stakeholders together to consider how affirmative action led by the government can be practically reconciled with youth-led solutions to some of the nation’s most pressing issues ranging from climate change to unemployment among the youth.
The discussion revolved around various projects that are being mooted, including the planting of trees by youth to combat climate change and restore the environment and agribusiness projects like beekeeping, among others, which provide economic empowerment and environmental advantages to youth in Kenya.
“From climate action through tree planting, to youth-led agribusiness ventures like beekeeping, we explored pathways that are not only sustainable but also open doors for income generation and enterprise development among young people,” stated Sasaka.
Charlene Ruto emphasized the necessity of hands-on solutions.
Apart from climate and agriculture, the forum also discussed the need for long-term mentorship programs. NGAAF and SMACHS agreed that investing in knowledge, value-based leadership, and resilience was essential to foster leaders who could drive Kenya’s transformation across sectors.
“We also reflected on the power of structured mentorship. For young people to lead, it’s important to equip them with knowledge, resilience, and a clear sense of purpose. That is the kind of leadership pipeline we must commit to building,” noted NGAAF.
The partnership is envisioned to give rise to collaborative programs that place young people not on the fringes but at the forefront of action and decision-making—denoting a shift in Kenya’s development paradigm to one centred on inclusivity, sustainability, and innovation.