12 August 2025 – Lilongwe, Malawi – As Malawi joins the global community in commemorating the International Youth Day 2025 under the theme “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond”, the Kuyenda Collective is proud to spotlight the transformative work of rural youth in driving evidence-based advocacy for quality education.
The Kuyenda Collective is implementing the Addressing the Learning Crisis through Systems Strengthening Project across Malawi, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. In Malawi, led by FAWEMA, the initiative is youth-driven and designed to equip young people with the tools to influence education outcomes at local, national, and regional levels.
The project works with 90 (45 males, 45 females) rural youths in Nkhata-bay and Nkhota-kota districts. Working through the District Youth Network, the project is equipping young people with knowledge and skills to conduct evidence-based advocacy for quality education outcomes in their communities, district, country and the SADC region. The youth are further equipped with skills to collect, analyse, and use data to push for quality and equitable education outcomes for all learners, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach areas.
The 2025 theme underscores the important role youths play in shaping their communities and influencing decision-making at all levels. Through the Kuyenda Collective initiative, rural youth are not only empowered with advocacy skills but also given the tools to back their demands with credible evidence.
The trained youth advocates are engaging with school committees, local authorities, national and transnational education platforms to address critical barriers to quality education such as inadequate learning facilities, teacher shortages, and inequitable teaching and learning materials. By grounding their advocacy in evidence collected from their own communities, these young leaders are ensuring that local voices shape local, national, and global education priorities in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 – Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education.
This year’s International Youth Day highlights the power of youth-led, evidence-based advocacy in building sustainable and inclusive development. The International Youth Day provides a platform to recognize the transformative potential of young people when equipped with the right skills, knowledge, and opportunities. The Kuyenda Collective’s approach reflects the spirit of the theme—demonstrating that local youth-led actions can spark systemic change far beyond community boundaries.
For more information about the Kuyenda Collective Project and its work in empowering rural youth for education advocacy, please visit: https://www.kuyendacollective.org/