YouthPower

Overview

Why do you want to join youthpower

How I want to make an Impact

Mwiraria envisions a prosperous Africa and world of equity, freedom, dignity, peace and democracy.I advocate for rights and dignity, gender, health for all, good governance and sustainable green and blue economies.

His works depicts impact of Journalism and story-telling in showcasing solutions, decision making and influencing policy.

He is a “LuQuLuQu” campaigner in a concerted effort with UNHCR to change the narrative of over 18 Million people in Africa trapped in refugee crisis. “LuQuLuQu” originates the African philosophy of “Ubuntu.He is #Ibelong Campaigner in concerted effort with UNHCR to include refugees,give hope to refugees and end the refugee crisis in the world.

Mwiraria is a YALI RLCEA (2019) Fellow, Journalism Now Finalist (2019), YouthLead Photo Story Finalist (2019), Judge (British Cultural Heroes Campaign 2019), Eco-Warrior Awardee by Eco-Tourism Kenya (2018), Africa Youth Advocate of the Year Nominee (2018).

He is a Bachelor of Business Management graduate from Masinde Muliro University and Thomson Foundation trained multi-media journalist .Mwiraria, a mentee in creative writing by Short Story Day Africa, Story Moja Africa and Goethe Institute is a widely published creative writer in Africa and Europe. His works have appeared on literary journals namely Writers Space Africa, Hekaya Review, Kalahari Review, Aftermath Magazine, Yours2read and Kalahari Review.

Formerly feature writer with daily Nation (Kenya), Mwiraria is currently a Bio Voices Author with Environment Africa and Contributing Author with UN Environment (Global outlook 6). The Author of ‘Land of Bones’ is also the Founder and Director –Nairobi Literacy Café and Inklusive Press –a media brand.

Notable Achievements:

2018 August: Won Kenya Eco-warrior award for promoting, people, culture and heritage through journalism.
2018 December: Nominated Africa Youth of the Year based on human interest solution-journalism.
2019 August: Short-listed in the young change makers photo- contest by YouthLead. Stories on gender and indigenous people showcased on YouthLead Global.
Feb 2019: Innovative journalism by Reuters. Creates a solution based brand on social inclusion and transformative change. Leads the team to 2nd position in Journalism Now World Challenge.
2019 August: My reporting of Stateless Shona community recognised as best narrated. Recognised as finalist in Journalism Now World Challenge.
2019 August: YALI East Africa commencement. Recognised for doing most to grow YALI RLCEA brand.
Currently: Doing international collaboration on Populist leadership in Africa, Digital autocracy in Africa, and jigger menace in Mayuge, rural Uganda. Dangers of fossil fuel projects in Kenya.
The works depicts the impact of Journalism in showcasing solutions, engaging decision makers influencing policy.

Research Interests:

Block chain and democracy, human journeys and migration, sustainable ecological innovations, climate, gender,youth and creative enterprise, culture and heritage, human centred designs, resource mobilization, digital bridges and cross border collaborations, gender, digital rights and freedom, communication, policy development.

Expertise :

Human Centred design, Evidence based policy making, Activism, Innovation in story-telling, Digital Media: Audience Engagement ,Ethical journalism, Building a trusted brand, Social media news gathering, Business planning for small media companies, Mobile journalism, Copyright; How to protect it, how to not breach it, The Principles of media company management, Reporting on migration, The business of journalism: Creating a brand and building an audience, Reporting on energy, Maximizing revenue in print and online news media , Digital transition in the newsroom, Building trust and reputation,The photographer’s ethical toolkit , Investigate Reporting, Multi Media Storytelling, Data Journalism and Verification, Creative writing and literary journalism, proposal writing ,fundraising and donor relations.

Affiliations:

YouthLead Global
Youth Power Learning
YALI RLCEA Alumni network,YALI Network
Global Biodiversity Youth Network (Kenya, and Africa Chapters)
Nairobi Literary Café
Writers Guild of Kenya
AMKA Space for Women’s Creativity
Masinde Muliro University of science and Technology Alumni
Writers Space Africa
YouthConnect Afrika
International Journalists Network
YouthLead Global
Mental Health network

Mwiraria is action-oriented and wholly fervent in leading change. He will commit my talent, abilities, and energy to increase awareness about YouthLead, and to develop content, post resources, or organize and participate in activities that support peers through YouthLead.

Short biography

I envision a prosperous Africa world of equity, freedom, dignity, peace and democracy.I advocate for rights and dignity, gender, health for all, good governance and sustainable green and blue economies.

I’m a “LuQuLuQu” campaigner in a concerted effort with UNHCR to change the narrative of over 18 Million people in Africa trapped in refugee crisis. “LuQuLuQu” originates the African philosophy of “Ubuntu”.I have in the spirit of caring and sharing written extensively about refugee predicament in Africa. Example:
https://www.nation.co.ke/lifestyle/family/empower-refugees/1954198-4659036-9gbjt6z/index.html

Today 10 million people around the world are denied a nationality, and most of their human rights trampled (UNHCR). Statelessness remains a significant but poorly documented problem in Africa. Nine sub-Saharan Africa and many African states do not have safeguards guaranteeing nationality to ‘stateless children’

I’m a part of #Ibelong campaign which led to recognition of Makonde community as Kenyan citizens. I continue to write about the Stateless Shona and Pemba community. Please see :
https://www.nation.co.ke/lifestyle/artculture/shona-stateless-identification-culture-Kenya/1954194-4219658-8d3bij/index.html
https://www.nation.co.ke/lifestyle/artculture/The-Pemba-people-struggle-to-belong-in-the-land-they-call-home-/1954194-4191380-2myw5fz/index.html
https://www.nation.co.ke/lifestyle/travel/OUT-ABOUT-The-vibrant-culture-of-the-Makonde-community/1950822-4104246-cx7nkp/index.htm
In addition to advocating for refugees, stateless communities, environment and Bio-diversity, my efforts in promoting people, culture and heritage was recognized by Eco-tourism Kenya. In 2018, wherefore I was presented an Eco-Warrior award.
https://ecotourismkenya.org/ecowarrioraward/news/

In 208 I was a Finalist in African Youth Advocate of the year Award Award.The Award recognizes young Africans who have selflessly dedicated their lives to making sure the future of Africa is optimistic. Launched in 2014, the awards scheme was inspired by the lack of recognition for young Africans who have selflessly dedicated their lives to making sure the future of Africa is optimistic.
The Award honour and celebrates Outstanding Young African Achievers.
https://www.africayouthawards.org/about-us/

https://www.africayouthawards.org/2018-africa-youth-awards-nominees-announced/

In 2018 I engaged tens of hundreds of youth on social rights, justice, gender and sustainable environment .I’m engaging youth on multiple platforms such Local Media, Nairobi Literary Café, Writers Guild Kenya, American Spaces Opinion Hall, Moi University Media Consortium to arise for social change. Example:
https://www.change.org/p/the-president-of-the-republic-of-kenya-justice-for-a-young-girl-who-died-in-the-hands-of-rogue-matatu-conductors
https://www.change.org/p/the-ministry-of-public-service-youth-and-gender-affairs-give-kenyan-women-paid-menstrual-leaves?fbclid=IwAR2Lz-hEyv9xWGGVFv-8nN2rnnTzqMlGkfo76KPbsJSGPPbWzxK8or4hhp0

I was engaged in 2018 UN Women Africa ‘unleashing the Potential of African Youth to Achieve the 2030 Agenda’; and Sustainable Blue Economy, Nairobi 2018 ‘I’m currently documenting some case studies of successful young women social-enterprises for UN Global Youth Outlook 6 magazine.

I’m adept in Project planning in Project Planning & Management, and Community Mobilization. Two years as Grant Consultant for Magadi Soda Foundation, I have researched and identified new government, corporate, foundations and private funding prospects: I work with Program Officers in the organizations to solicit invitations to submit proposals and manage special projects as needed, and to put in place strategies for sustainability.

I’m action-oriented and wholly fervent in leading change. I passionately hope for consideration to work with youth lead. I will commit my talent, abilities, and energy to increase awareness about YouthLead, and to develop content, post resources, or organize and participate in activities that support peers through YouthLead.Thank you.

A

Assistance Offered

Assistance with the Press, Mentorship, Website, social media, online strategy, Organizing an Event, Research assistance, Proposal/grant writing

What I need

I need to enhance and expand collaborative relationships with knowledge-intensive and trans-formative networks along the key pillars of sustainable development, to greatly improve success rate in leading change.I'm mapping networks and identifying key points of connectivity.Through Youthlead I hope to identify expand network worth and facilitate peer-to-peer networking to enhance effectiveness of the social change,

Assistance OfferedAssistance with the Press, Mentorship, Website, social media, online strategy, Organizing an Event, Research assistance, Proposal/grant writing

What I need

Networks

Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI)/Mandela Fellowship

Where did you hear about us?

Other websites

Country

Kenya

Topics of Interest

Other Interests  Authored a collection of Short-Stories entitled ‘the land of Bones’
 Published collection of short stories and feature on the Daily Nation Newspaper ,Hekaya Review ,Kalahari Review and Writers Space Africa
 Volunteer Short-Story Reader-Short Story Day Africa (SSDA):Short Story Day Africa brings together writers, readers, booksellers, publishers, teachers and school children from all over the globe to write, submit, read, workshop and discuss stories– and foster the love of reading and writing African fiction. Because we have something to tell the world. The reading is done by a small group of stalwart volunteers for the love of it.
 Creative writing coach and mentor.
 Animal Rights Advocate: Started successful animal rights petition at Change .org and written extensively about animal rights.
 Local Guide (Level 7) at Google Places

Education

 Bachelor of Business Management from Masinde Muliro University
 Investigative Journalism Course –by Code for Africa
 Short Story Day Africa Creative Writing Workshop, Nairobi
 English for Journalists, Harvard Course, Povided by Edx.
 Creative Writing Course by Story Moja Africa
 Community Engagement course by UN Habitat in Conjunction with Fraser Valley University
 Fundraising: How to connect with donors by Philanthropy University Education Initiative
 Crowd funding Course by Eliademy

Languages spoken