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At a small training centre in Kakamega, the hum of electric drills mixes with bursts of laughter. Young men in blue overalls bend over wires and sockets, learning skills that could light up homes — and their futures. Among them is Juma Fredrick, once a school dropout, now a determined electrician-in-training.

“When I joined CSA, I didn’t have much,” he says, his eyes reflecting quiet pride. “After six months of training, I qualified and started working. I can now earn a living and support myself.”

Juma’s story mirrors a growing wave of transformation sweeping through Kenya’s youth — a wave powered by the Centre for the Study of Adolescence (CSA).

For 37 years, CSA has been more than an organisation. It has been a movement — one that bridges research, policy, and the pulse of community life. Born in 1988, at a time when discussions about adolescent health were almost taboo, CSA dared to talk openly about sexual and reproductive health, rights, and youth empowerment.

Today, it partners with government agencies, civil society, and global organisations — but its heartbeat remains the same: helping young people take charge of their lives.

In Kakamega, CSA’s child rights clubs have become a lifeline for children who often grow up without guidance or protection. Velma Olunga, a social worker with the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) project, runs these sessions with a mix of empathy and firmness.

“Introducing sex education to children is usually a fragile area,” she says, smiling knowingly. “But through child rights clubs, we create safe spaces where children learn about their bodies, their safety, and their rights.”

Velma says this kind of learning fills the gaps left by the school curriculum. “In biology, you’re taught the parts of the body,” she explains, “but not the realities — like menstrual hygiene or family planning. We teach that, because it’s what young people need.”

In Siaya, 22-year-old Amanda Mulanda walks confidently into a youth-friendly centre, carrying a box of demonstration kits. Just a few years ago, she couldn’t have imagined herself here.

“I started volunteering right after high school,” she says. “At first, I couldn’t even touch a condom because of my religious background. But now I’m the one teaching others about safe practices and their rights.”

Her work hasn’t always been smooth. Once, she recalls, a village elder tried to stop her from teaching girls about reproductive health. “I explained why it mattered,” she says, “and in the end, he agreed. The girls got the help they needed.”

It’s these small victories — quiet yet powerful — that define CSA’s success.

In Kisumu, Joseph mentors out-of-school youth through the Supporting Out-of-School Adolescents’ Rights and Skills project. He teaches them entrepreneurship and financial literacy — tools that do more than build wealth; they build confidence.

“I’ve trained six youth groups with 126 participants,” he says. “They save together, give out small loans, and start businesses — some keep goats, others are venturing into fish farming.”

He believes money, or rather financial empowerment, can change destinies. “When young people earn, they make better choices,” he explains. “It reduces teenage pregnancies and gender-based violence because they’re no longer vulnerable.”

On the coast, the energy takes a different form — greener, bolder. Ashleyna Kazungu and her group, Baso Youth for Green Future, are redefining what it means to be young and visionary in Kilifi County.

“Climate change has really empowered us,” she says. “We’ve learnt how sexual and reproductive health links with climate issues.”

Their projects are as creative as they are practical: bee farming, poultry rearing, butterfly keeping, and even mariculture — the farming of marine organisms.

“We get crablets from suppliers, put them in cages, and farm them,” Ashleyna explains. “In three to six months, they mature and we sell them.”

The work hasn’t been easy. “We wish to scale up, but funding remains a challenge,” she admits. “We’ve had some support from Farm Africa, but we need more.”

Still, the transformation goes beyond income. “When we started, only boys handled the crabs,” she says, laughing. “Now even us women can hold them — and run the farms.”

From Kisumu’s dusty backstreets to Kilifi’s salty shorelines, these stories converge on one truth: when young people are trusted and equipped, they don’t just participate — they lead.

And as CSA marks nearly four decades of impact, its mission remains as urgent and vibrant as ever — helping Kenya’s youth find their voice, their footing, and their power in a world that needs them more than ever.