◆The First M/Gs

                  (2013/8/14-9/9)

We had a workshop with Somali gangs and Somali Youths in Eastleigh district in order to give the right understanding and have a sense of ownership toward various problems which the community is facing. Through this process, we aimed to empower the society surrounding the Somali Youth gangs so that they can understand the gangs' situation and accept them.

 We discussed 6 particular topics (Domestic Violence, Drug, Education, Employment, Security, and Culture) with local Somali Youths (22 years old on average) for 6 days. We invited the security chief of Eastleigh, professors of Nairobi University, and NGO workers, who actively conducting youth gangs' mental counseling, as keynote speakers.  Finally we tied up what the participants considered about the topics to 2 points and discussed those points;

①How can we make the youth gangs reintegrate into the society

②What the society should do to accept the youth gangs

 Though this First project, we have got 3 important results;

①We could understand that it's important to make the

   project one we can approach and take actions more

   comprehensively toward the youth gang problem by

   cooperating with various people and organizations

②We could create the right sense of ownership in the participants

   of the workshop toward the various problems the society is

   facing

③We could build good and fruitful relationships with the local 

   Somali youths who are actively performing against the

   social problems

◆The M/Gs vol.2

                     (2014/3/13-3/26)

 Based on the results of the First project, we have realized the necessity to meet and discuss with the real Somali Youth gangs to achieve their positive reintegration. In this phase, we held a discussion with youth gangs aiming to make them notice their status, "True Youth" and seek for the way they can change their current situation by themselves.

 In the 2 days' discussion, we put emphasis on understanding their situation first. The 8 youth gangs participated in the session were dissatisfied with the society's treatment toward them. We accepted their opinions and then discussed following 2 points;

①Why they can't quit the gang groups and how they can do that

②What they can do to change their own situation not by the

   society but by themselves.

 Throughout the discussion,

①We could create the sense of ownership in the youth gangs that

   they are the main cause of the security problem in Eastleigh

   district, and they are the main actor who resolve the problem

   as well

②We realized that we could hold the rational discussion space

   with the youth gangs. And they trusted us and had a positive

   will to take actions by themselves toward their reintegration 

◆The M/Gs vol.3

                     (2014/3/13-3/26)

This time, we aimed at two things; 1st, carry out "the Structure"as planned. 2nd, motivate the Somali Youth Gangs to take some actions toward reintegrations. While the 2nd M/Gs took "Discussion" seriously, we implemented the 3rd M/Gs regarding their independence of will and communication between the gangs and the people surrounding the gangs as the most important.

In 3 days, we implemented the first phrase (①Workshop ②Taking Action ③Closing Ceremony) with the 13 youth gangs. In Workshop, we complehensively discussed the reason why youth gang issues happen in the district from the standpoint of not only youth gangs but also the people surrounding the gangs. And then, they discussed the way they can take from now for preventing worse situations. In Taking Actions, based on the discussion in Workshop, they had a lecture toward a elementary schoolchild as a volunteer activity. They talked to the children about how important they spend a day having a responsibility for a society and why they should not be a gang. In Closing Ceremony, we certificated the gangs with admiration from not only JSYO members but also Japanese goverment authorities in Kenya, and the staffs of the local NGOs.

About the other phrase(①Skill Training and ②Monitoring), Kobciye Community Centre, local NGOs and our Partners, would cooperate with us and implement Skill Treaining (Computer Skill, Accountability). JSYO Somali members would implement Monitoring regularly fom October to February.

Throughout the 3rd M/Gs,

①We could carry out "the Structure" as planned with local NGOs.

②We could give them the experience independently taking action

  toward society and the feeling of acceptance from the society. 

③We realized that we could implement the solving way for youth

  gang issues in the district by cooperating with many local actors. 

◆The M/Gs vol.4

                     (2014/3/16-3/19)

◆Purpose of M/G vol.4(Program Section)

Making the Somali Youth Gangs, participated in the project;

・have the self-awareness as “YOUTH,” the main actor to change the society in near future

・notice they can improve their situations by themselves through taking positive and legal actions to the society

・notice the existence of the social actors, including us JSYO, who accept them

◆Contents of the project

We took 4 days for the project and implemented 3 sessions with 19 Somali Youth Gangs.

①Workshop

In this session, we discussed with the participants and grasped their life situations. We asked questions about various problems they are facing, the reasons why they became “Gangs,” and the negative influence they make on the society. After that we derived some valid solutions they can take by themselves toward those situations.

In the Workshop, “Returning Gangs,” gangs who participated in the project two times, played so important roles. They led the group discussion and other participants actively as “project staffs.”

②Lecture

We invited Leaders in the Somali society and representatives of some local and international NGOs to the project, and created an opportunity for the Somali Youth Gangs and the social actors to discuss with each other.

③Taking Action(Volunteer Activity)

We decided 1 solution from the various choices the participants elicited in the previous Workshop session, and put the plan into practice as “Volunteer Activity” toward the society. This time, the participants made a powerful speech to some NGOs by themselves. They appealed their strong will to reintegrate and be active in the society, and the controversial situations hinder the reintegration, those are like “Unemployment” and “Discrimination from the society.” Based on those, the gangs asked the NGOs to understand their positive will and the situations, and provide some practical skill trainings(e.g. English skills, ICT skills) for their reintegration and contribution to improve especially security situation in the society.                                                               ④Closing Ceremony

On the last day of the project, we had the Closing Ceremony and praised the participants’ positive action in the Taking Action session. In the ceremony, we gave them certification and some money, and through this process we and the NGOs indicated that we would accept and support their positive actions to reintegrate into the society.

◆Results of the project

Throughout M/Gs vol.4(Program Section), we could achieve the following results;

①We could make the participants take subjective action, and realize their self-awareness as “YOUTH”

②We could make them notice the existence of “Fellows,” who accept and support them like we JSYO and NGOs we cooperated.

③We could make use of “the Returning Gangs” and enhance their awareness as “YOUTH” and positive behavior to the society.

④Cooperating with some local and International NGOs, we could implement the project in opened environment more than ever.

As a result of the participants’ effort in Taking Action, the NGOs accepted their requests and opened various kinds of skill training programs. Currently, they have been implemented regularly.

◆The M/Gs vol.5

               (2015/8/20~9/10)

◆Purpose of M/G vol.5(Program Session)

Making the Somali Youth Gangs participated in the project;

・have the self-awareness as “YOUTH,” the main actor to change the society in near future

・notice they can improve their situations by themselves through taking positive and legal actions to the society

・notice the existence of the social actors, including us JSYO, who accept them

◆Contents of the project

We took four days for the project and implemented three sessions with 30 Somali Youth Gangs.

①Workshop(Day1&2)

In this session, we discussed with the participants and grasped their life situations. We asked questions about various problems they are facing, the reasons why they became “Gangs,” and the negative influence they make on the society. After that, we derived some valid solutions they can take by themselves toward those situations.

In this Workshop, gangs who have participated in the project two times or more played important roles. They participated in the meeting before the project, and led the discussion and other participants as a gang’s “role model”.

②Taking Action(Volunteer Activity)

We decided a solution from the various choices the participants elicited in the previous Workshop session and put the plan into practice as “Volunteer Activity” toward the society. This time, in order to tackle the problem, “discrimination” from the society, which is recognized as serious one for gangs in the Workshop, we decided to make a documentary film as advocacy towards the society. To make it, gangs discussed the contents of the documentary film by themselves advised by the guest speaker.

③Closing Ceremony

On the last day of the project, we had the Closing Ceremony and praised the participants’ positive action in the Taking Action session. In the ceremony, we gave them certification and some money, and through this process, we, as general society, indicated that we would accept and support their positive actions to reintegrate into the society.

◆Results of the project

Throughout M/Gs vol.5(Program Section), we could achieve the following results;

①We could make the participants take active action, and realize their self-awareness as “YOUTH.”

②We could get them notice the existence of “Fellows,” who accept and support them like we JSYO as general society.

③We could make use of the gangs more efficiently than before who have participated in the project two times or more and enhance their awareness as “YOUTH” and positive behavior to the society, and could give a “role model” of the gangs.

◆The M/Gs vol.5 part2　　　

               　 (2016/3/23~3/26)

◆Purpose of M/G vol.5 part2(Program Session)

Making Somali Youth Gangs participate  in the project;

・recognize the meaning of making a documentary film by yourselves

・have the self-awareness as “YOUTH,” the main actor to change the society in near future

・notice they can improve their situations by themselves through taking legal actions to the society

・notice the existence of social actors, including us JSYO, who accept them

◆Contents of the project

We took four days for the project and making documentary film with 16 Somali Youth Gangs.

①Workshop(Day1)

In this session, we discussed what the participants talk in the documentary film and how to express it effectively in order to decrease “discrimination” from the society.

②Make a documentary film(Day2&3)

Youth gangs take a movie based on what we talked at Workshop. They talk themselves as they had consciousness that they need to tell not only their claim but also what you understand what the society want to say when you claim “don’t discriminate us” so as to gain more understanding from the society.

③Closing Ceremony

On the last day of the project, we had the Closing Ceremony and praised the participants’ positive action that they took the film. In the ceremony, we gave them certification and some money, and through this process, we, as general society, indicated that we would accept and support their positive actions to reintegrate into the society.

◆Results of the project

Through M/G vol.5 part2 (Program Section), we could achieve the following results;

①We could make the participants realize their self-awareness as “YOUTH.”

②We could give them experience of taking action in order to improve their situation.

③They can understand that they should understand the society as well as claiming "don't discriminate"

because it give them awareness that they should understand the society as well as claiming "don't discriminate"