YOUTH SKILLS FOR PEACE
By Margaret Kimemia, Youth Leader, Muchatha Ward
Youth Skills for Peace
On Friday, 14 August 2026, I attended a youth dialogue in Gigiri, Nairobi, on Kenya’s Peace and Security Diplomacy: Gains and Gaps. The dialogue was organised by YIGA Africa (Youth in Governance and Global Affairs), Nala Center and Muema Action Post. We reflected on Sessional Paper No. 1 of 2025 on the Foreign Policy of the Republic of Kenya and discussed Kenya’s role in peace and security, both within the region and beyond its borders.
As I listened to the discussion about Kenya’s role in peace diplomacy, I began thinking about what peace means at the grassroots. Kenya can help other countries find peaceful solutions to conflict, but we must also ask what we are doing to strengthen peace in our own communities. That is why I asked the panel: “As we help others find peace, how do we ensure young people at the grassroots are not drawn into conflict?” The discussion highlighted an important connection between skills, employment and peace. When young people lack opportunities, skills and meaningful ways to earn a living, they can become more vulnerable to negative influences and exploitation. This is something that resonates with what I see in Muchatha Ward. For me, this is not only a security issue. It is also a question of social justice, opportunity and dignity.
Climate Justice and Youth Opportunity
This conversation also connects directly to climate justice. The climate crisis is not only about changes in weather or environmental damage. It also affects livelihoods, economic opportunities and the ability of communities to build secure futures. Young people need opportunities to participate in the emerging green economy. Climate action should not leave grassroots communities behind. It should create opportunities for people to learn, work, innovate and build more resilient communities. In Muchatha Ward, I see an opportunity to connect vocational training with environmental action. Strengthening Muchatha Vocational Training Centre with practical green skills could give young people opportunities to develop skills that respond to local needs.
These could include:
Tree nursery management
Waste separation and recycling
Environmental restoration
Climate-smart agriculture
Sustainable enterprise and other green livelihood skills
These activities are not only about protecting the environment. They can also become pathways to skills, income, self-reliance and community participation. A young person who gains a useful skill has another option to explore. With the right support, that skill can become a livelihood, a small enterprise or an opportunity to contribute to the community.
Skills Are Part of Social Justice
The Constitution of Kenya, 2010, Article 55, provides that the State shall take measures to ensure that young people access relevant education and training, have opportunities to participate in society and the economy, access employment, and are protected from exploitation. This reminds us that investing in young people is not simply about giving them something to do. It is about creating opportunities for them to participate meaningfully in society and the economy. That is why conversations about peace, climate justice and youth skills should not happen separately. They are connected.
What Can We Do? My takeaway from the dialogue is positive: peace should be built before conflict begins. That means listening to young people, investing in practical skills and creating spaces where they can contribute to their communities. There are also simple things individuals and communities can do.
We can:
Support local environmental initiatives.
Encourage young people to learn practical and vocational skills.
Share information about training and employment opportunities.
Support youth-led environmental projects.
Start conversations about how climate action can create livelihoods.
Ask whether local training programmes are preparing young people for the changing economy.
These may seem like small actions, but community change often starts with small steps.
Peace Starts With Opportunity
For me, the lesson from the Gigiri dialogue is clear: Peace starts with opportunity. Opportunity can build hope. If we want peaceful and resilient communities, we must create opportunities for people to participate, learn and build their futures. Climate justice means making sure that the transition towards a more sustainable future includes people at the grassroots. If we equip young people with relevant skills and connect those skills to real opportunities, we are not only investing in the environment. We are investing in peaceful, hopeful and resilient communities.
SOURCES AND CREDITS
1. Constitution of Kenya, 2010 — Article 55 Kenya Law
Used for: Information concerning constitutional provisions on opportunities for young people, including education and training, participation in society and the economy, employment and protection from exploitation.
2. Sessional Paper No. 1 of 2025 on the Foreign Policy of the Republic of Kenya
Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs
Used for: Background on Kenya's foreign-policy framework and its approach to international engagement, peace and security diplomacy.
3. Event Credit
Youth dialogue: Kenya’s Peace and Security Diplomacy: Gains and Gaps
Date: Friday, 14 August 2026
Location: Gigiri, Nairobi
Organised by: YIGA Africa – Youth in Governance and Global Affairs, Nala Center and Muema Action Post.
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