Hi. I am

Joshua Mbithi Muthama

From Kenya

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I Feel Confident Speaking in Spaces I Used to Avoid

More than 10,800 young people across Machakos County have strengthened their employability skills and gained greater confidence to participate in community and institutional decision-making. Behind this impact is a young grassroots advocate who transformed storytelling into a tool for social change.

Before joining the African Youth Panel (AYP) initiative, I volunteered with Tuboreshe Pamoja Community-Based Organisation, led a scout crew, and used filmmaking to amplify community issues. Despite my passion, I had limited access to decision-making spaces, few opportunities for professional growth, and no structured pathway to influence policies affecting young people. Like many young people in rural communities, I faced financial uncertainty, unclear career prospects, and the challenge of ensuring that the voices of underserved young people were heard.

The African Youth Panel became a game-changer.

Through mentorship, Participatory Action Research (PAR), leadership development, and institutional support, AYP equipped me with the skills to transform community experiences into evidence-based advocacy. I learned how to conduct research, facilitate dialogue, mobilise communities, and use storytelling to influence conversations around youth employment, governance, and inclusion.

I immediately applied these skills through the Gen Kazi Programme, drawing on AYP’s participatory approach. I mobilised young people across more than 20 vocational training centres, colleges, and community institutions, facilitated community engagement activities, managed digital platforms that amplified youth voices, and documented programme stories through film, photography, and multimedia storytelling.

These efforts contributed to the Gen Kazi programme reaching 10,868 young people across Machakos County, providing training in digital literacy, professional communication, career readiness, job search strategies, and interview preparation. In addition, 173 young women received specialised entrepreneurship training, expanding their opportunities for economic participation. It further recorded strong outcomes, with 85% of participants reporting improved job readiness and confidence, while 60% recommended the programme to their peers.

Beyond the numbers, I have strengthened youth participation in community barazas and institutional dialogues, enabling young people to move from passive observers to active contributors, sharing their experiences and helping shape discussions in decision-making spaces. Together, our perspectives have been incorporated into community discussions and recommendations submitted to local institutions.

The impact has been equally transformative for me. I have grown into a confident facilitator, storyteller, and youth leader, with stronger professional networks and increased opportunities to engage with institutions and decision-makers. Most importantly, I now have the confidence to speak in spaces I once avoided and to create opportunities for other young people to do the same.

Today, I continue to use film, storytelling, and participatory research to amplify the voices of rural and underserved youth. The African Youth Panel showed me that meaningful change begins when young people are equipped not only with a voice but with the evidence, skills, and platforms to influence decisions. I remain committed to ensuring that more young people have a seat at the table and the opportunity to shape the future of their communities.