Elders and youths to benefit as new CBOs launched in Mombasa

Mjambere ward village elders on Monday / BRIAN OTIENO  

Village elders in Kisauni’s Mjambere ward are set to benefit from a new initiative that empowers community-based organisations with financial and skills training.

Seventy-seven self-help groups have been merged into five major CBOs to empower women, youth, elders and persons living with disability.

The move is part of efforts to tackle rising crime in Kisauni — an area with some of the highest crime rates in Mombasa — while strengthening trust among youth, women and elders.

Village elders, who often act as the government’s eyes on the ground, say they have long been neglected.

“We are happy that our daughter has come up with an initiative that recognises us as village elders and boosts our financial capacity,” said Herman Wahato, chairman of Mjambere Village Elders Group, during Monday’s launch.

Mjambere MCA Amriya Boy, who spearheaded the initiative, said young people often miss out on government financial programmes due to a lack of proper organisation.

“Government programmes do not benefit individuals in most cases. Instead, they benefit groups. If you are not in any group, you will be left behind as others progress,” she said.

Beneficiaries will access training in areas such as driving and beauty therapy, as well as financial support from the government and development partners.

Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir said investing in CBOs is about building stronger communities from the ground up.

“Empowering our communities is at the heart of our mission,” he said, noting that the five CBOs already represent more than 800 members.

Deputy speaker Fadhili Makarani said youth groups will play a growing role in waste management.

“Abdulswamad Nassir’s administration is looking for groups to manage waste and clean up Mombasa,” he said.

Parents welcomed the initiative, saying it will ease the burden of supporting children after high school.

“Most of the time, our children idle around because they lack college fees or are unable to further their education,” Fatma Mwamzandi said. “Courses like driving and beauty therapy help reduce parents’ burdens.”

Youth leader Mariam Fatma urged young people to organise themselves. “Let us stop sitting in bases doing nothing but smoking weed and chewing muguka. We can do something meaningful with our lives that will empower us economically and socially,” she said.

For Juma Mashuhuri, chairman of Akili Kadhaa CBO, the programme is about more than funding.

“Touching a CBO means touching a whole community, because CBOs bring together people representing different areas. Initiatives like this bridge the gaps created by lack of resources and ultimately strengthen the community,” he said.

The initiative’s backers hope that by empowering elders, women and youth, Mjambere can not only fight crime but also foster social and economic growth rooted in community solidarity.