On 12 August 2026, Youthmakers Hub Kenya participated in the International Youth Day 2026 Commemoration at the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) Main Boardroom in Kenya, under the theme “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations: Framing Youth Aspirations in Governance.”

The event was organized by the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) of Kenya and the Youth Congress in Kenya.

Youthmakers Hub Kenya was represented by volunteers Rakmo Parito Lenairoshi and Nicholas Mwenda.

Putting youth aspirations at the centre of governance

The commemoration created a space for young people, government institutions, youth organisations, and development partners to reflect on a central question: how can the aspirations and experiences of young people be meaningfully integrated into governance and decision-making?

Meaningful engagement requires opportunities for young people to contribute to discussions, participate in decision-making processes, take on leadership roles, and engage directly with the institutions shaping policies and programmes.

Connecting actors across Kenya’s youth ecosystem

International Youth Day also provided an opportunity to strengthen dialogue between actors working across youth development, governance, leadership, participation, and inclusion. 

For Youthmakers Hub Kenya, participation in the event was also an opportunity to strengthen its presence and relationships within Kenya’s youth and governance ecosystem.

Representing YMH at the commemoration, Rakmo Parito Lenairoshi and Nicholas Mwenda contributed to an important space for dialogue while building connections that can support future youth-focused activities in the areas of participation, leadership, inclusion, and governance.

The International Youth Day 2026 commemoration reinforced an important message: young people should not only be invited into conversations about their future; they should have meaningful opportunities to shape it.