Youth Education and Sports – YES 

About

Youth Education and Sports (YES) is a refugee-led organization focused on empowering marginalized communities through education and sports. We provide a holistic, contextualized higher education experience, integrating digital pedagogy, 21st-century skills, and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) frameworks for university students in refugee contexts.

Vision

A world where youths can achieve their dreams, regardless of where they have come from.

Mission

Our mission is to transform marginalized communities by providing safe, innovative spaces for accessing higher education—both formal and informal—enhancing employability, and creating pathways for youth to achieve their potential and contribute to stronger, more resilient communities.

Core Values

• Empowerment: Equipping youth with skills and knowledge for self-reliance.
• Inclusion: Ensuring access to education for all, regardless of circumstance.
• Innovation: Leveraging creative solutions to address educational challenges.
• Community: Building strong, peaceful communities through collaboration.
• Collaboration: Partnering with universities and organizations for sustainable solutions.
• Holistic Development: Integrating education, SEL, and sports for resilience.

Location

Main location: Kakuma Refugee Camp & Kalobeyei
Satellite location: Nairobi & Dadaab, Kenya

Accreditation & authorising body

Legally hosted by Women’s Educational Researchers of Kenya (WERK); Recognized by the AHEEN Network.

AHEEN Involvement

YES collaborates with AHEEN by supporting digital learning for diploma & Degrees students in refugee contexts, contributing expertise in higher education needs analysis, local course delivery, and participatory research in Higher Education in Emergencies (HEiE). We extend our reach beyond Kakuma & Kalobeyei to other refugee settings, including Dadaab, through education and SEL programming.