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About
Kachila Youth Initiative (KAYI) is a Non-Governmental and Non Profit making Organization established on 16th September, 1996 with the aim of empowering Youth and Women. The organization is registered with Malawi Government under the Trustees Incorporation Act (CAP 5:03), the National Youth Council of Malawi under the National Act (1996) on 18th September 1998 and Council for non-Governmental organizations in Malawi (CONGOMA) (Reg. C 1103/ 2017).
The organization exists to contribute towards the creation of a society where communities including youth, women and socially excluded groups of people live a healthy, productive and progressive life. The organization operates its functions through Youth Clubs, Community Support Groups (People Living with HIV & AIDS), women groups, Community leaders, and several other interest groups including people with disabilities. These key populations are considered key affiliates and partners and they are based at community level. The Organization also works in partnership with decentralized structures of Area Development Committees, DEC and Village Development Committees at all levels of the programme design and implementation cycle. Since its inception in 1996, KAYI is a key member of the Karonga District Executive Committee (DEC).
Our vision
Empowered youth and women for their growth and development
Our vision
Kachila Youth Initiative exists to contribute towards the creation of a society where youth and women live a happy, productive and progressive life.
Kachila Youth Initiative objective includes; to promote education for young people through engagements processes at community and district level; to provide access to SRHR information for young people through creation of platforms and opportunities; to contribute towards reduction of new HIV infections and support those infected and affected by AIDS through raising awareness among young people; to support the fight against ending early forced and child marriages, child trafficking, child labor, and unemployment through supporting child protection systems; to build capacities of youth and women through trainings to increase their household economic status; to raise awareness on the importance of environmental conservation and climate change issues. Its core values include: responsiveness, respectfulness, gender equality, use of Rights based approach, honesty, transparency and accountability.
Strategic Direction
The organization strives to work on the following thematic areas:
- Education
- Sexual Reproductive health and Rights (SRH) with a special focus on HIV and AIDS, sexually transmitted infections, teenage pregnancies, early forced and child marriages.
- Gender based Violence
- Youth economic empowerment
- Climate change
Since its establishment, KAYI has been operating in Karonga district in the northern region of Malawi, specifically in the area of Paramount Chief Kyungu and Senior Traditional Authority Mwirang’ombe. The organization’s constituency and scope transcends across people of all ages, sex and class including sex workers, people with disabilities and people affected and living with HIV and AIDS, however, its key focus is on youth and women.
Since its establishment in 1996, KAYI has worked with various organizations including US funded Projects. Global Fund through National AIDS Commission (NAC) funded KAYI to construct Youth Resource Centre. The centre now offers monthly HIV testing services and SRH services to over 2000 community members per month. KAYI has considerable experience in HIV and AIDS and SRHR.
The organization has successfully implemented governance interventions under a project called “Youth Empowerment in Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights” funded by Tilitonse Fund between May 2016-July 2017.This project was aimed at building the capacity of young people to be able to demand sexual and reproductive health services from duty bearers by providing a platform for interaction between duty bearers and the community. The major strategy used was the Community Scorecard Process to assess the performance of service providers in delivering SRH services. Among some remarkable achievements of this project was the introduction of special days at Nyungwe Health Centre and Karonga District Hospital where youths are now able to effectively access HIV and AIDS as well as Youth Friendly SRH Services from service providers.