Written by Saara Kanula (Finland) (Originally published on May 6, 2014)
Youth Initiatives Tanzania (YITA) is one of the most vibrant and committed youth organisations addressing the challenges faced by young people in slums around Dar es Salaam. YITA’s mission is to facilitate the socio-economic empowerment of young people in informal urban settlements by supporting up-and-coming entrepreneurs and youth who are getting involved in politics and decision-making.
YITA funds itself by producing handmade sandals. They have collaborated with Art in Tanzania’s Fair Trade project, and their sandals are on sale at the Fair Trade shop in Dar es Salaam. YITA was founded in 2009, and Mark Okello is one of the founding members. I had a chance to speak with him and was very impressed with his work.
How did the idea of YITA originate?
I developed a passion for working with young people in 2007 when I decided to join the Tanzania Youth Coalition (TYC); there, I worked as a volunteer up to 2009 before I teamed up with some of my friends to form Youth Initiatives Tanzania. My main idea was that while TYC and other organisations are doing a great deal in policy analysis and advocacy, there is still a group of young people left out who do not necessarily require policy analysis to see a change. They are more in need of practical training that directly impacts their daily income. This prompted me to start working with YITA to see this become a reality.
What kind of challenges do you face in your work in YITA?
One of the biggest challenges I face while working with YITA is that I am a typical volunteer, meaning I don’t receive any financial benefits from this. Another challenge is that I believe there is a significant need for more organisations like YITA in Tanzania—unfortunately, we cannot solve all the problems by ourselves. The mentality of young people is also a challenge, as they often view me as a solution to their problems rather than a facilitator of their solutions.I am happy to see young people develop and take positive steps after I engage with them. I have received calls from various young people thanking me for touching their lives in a unique way through YITA.
YITA is funding itself by producing handmade sandals. Can you tell me a little bit about the process of making them?
We craft our sandals from old car tires, leather, Kitenge (a locally produced fabric), and Maasai cloth. We have trained 11 young people from a slum we have been focusing on, called Manzese, to make the sandals. The primary objective is to create employment opportunities for young people residing in the slums surrounding Dar es Salaam, and it also serves as a fundraising activity for YITA.
How do you see the future of youth living in slums?
Our government can do much to uplift the youth living in slums, but the future does not look very bright. Unless like-minded organisations join forces to address the challenges they face, young people living in slums cannot expect much.
How do you see YITA’s future?
Youth Initiatives Tanzania has a promising future ahead of it. We are working towards establishing sound financial stability and the capacity to undertake the planned activities.
More information about YITA: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Youth-Initiatives-Tanzania-YITA/232389036811338?fref=ts
