Project Fact Sheet | Digital Media Literacy and Youth Civic Reasoning in Kenya

Project Description

The Digital Media Literacy and Youth Civic Reasoning in Kenya project empowers youth to combat misinformation, particularly during elections. By equipping young people with skills in fact-checking, online safety, and social media verification, the project promotes informed civic engagement and strengthens democracy. Key to the initiative is our Youth Media Literacy Handbook, supported by dynamic workshops, grassroots training, and community forums. We will utilize mainstream and digital media—including videos, animations, podcasts, TV interviews, and social media campaigns—to ensure broad reach. Additionally, live webinars, films, and interactive games will challenge misinformation in electoral contexts. The handbook will be available digitally and physically, with future translations to ensure inclusivity. This initiative will build a digitally-savvy generation of youth, ready to amplify truth, combat disinformation, and lead Kenya’s democratic future.

Key Approaches

1.Empowering through education: The project is providing a youth-centered media literacy handbook that is practical, comprehensive, and designed with the preferences of young people in mind. The handbook has incorporated common features of popular social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, making it relatable and easy to use. It not only focuses on civic reasoning but also includes critical aspects like mental health and employment, ensuring its relevance across various aspects of youth life. The handbook will simplify information verification methods, making it accessible for youths who informally share information with friends and family. With captivating visuals and clear instructions, this tool will engage youth and foster better media consumption habits.

2.Skill-building workshops: In alignment with the recommendations, the project will host workshops and training sessions tailored to young people’s needs. These workshops will cover essential skills like fact-checking, online safety, and digital media literacy, using real-world scenarios and practical tools. The training will also focus on critical thinking and the verification of digital content, especially in the context of elections and social media influence.

3.Nationwide campaigns: As part of our public awareness campaign, we will celebrate Kenya Media Literacy Week, inspired by similar initiatives globally, such as the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Check campaign. This campaign will utilize both traditional and digital media to amplify the importance of media literacy. Through these channels, we will educate the public on detecting, verifying, and reporting fraudulent information, using visual illustrations and simple, effective tips that are shareable on platforms like WhatsApp, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

4. Collaboration with key stakeholders: Following the recommendation to work collaboratively, we will partner with multilateral organizations, the government, ICT professionals, and youth organizations to strengthen our impact. These partnerships will help map and support existing community programs on digital media literacy, ensuring that our efforts reach underrepresented youth populations. Additionally, the project will advocate for integrating digital media literacy into the ICT curriculum at all levels of education, as well as advocating for government funding to enhance teacher education in digital and media literacy.

5. Creating a knowledge database: In response to the need for local government support, we will develop an online video documentation platform to map and share community programs in digital media literacy. This will help foster a knowledge-sharing ecosystem where best practices and successful programs can be accessed and replicated across Kenya. The database will be an invaluable resource for future digital media literacy initiatives and can be scaled to other regions.

6. Global support and social responsibility: Drawing from global best practices, the project will engage multilateral organizations to extend their support for anti-misinformation initiatives like YALI. These organizations will also play a role in educating the public on how to verify information through social media platforms as part of their corporate social responsibility efforts. This creates a network of international solidarity against the spread of misinformation.

Objectives

The objective of the Digital Media Literacy and Youth Civic Reasoning in Kenya project is to empower youth with critical media and information literacy (MIL) skills to combat misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech, particularly in electoral contexts. Through fact-checking training, online safety education, and social media verification techniques, the project aims to foster informed civic engagement and strengthen democratic participation.

Additionally, the project seeks to increase digital resilience among young people by providing accessible educational resources, including a Youth Media Literacy Handbook, interactive workshops, community forums, and digital campaigns. By leveraging multimedia tools such as videos, animations, podcasts, and live webinars, the initiative will ensure a broad and inclusive reach. Ultimately, the project aspires to build a generation of critical thinkers who can identify, challenge, and prevent the spread of digital misinformation, fostering a more informed, tolerant, and democratic society in Kenya.

Project Duration

9 months
Project Budget: USD 100,000

Funder

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), through the Global Youth Grant Scheme

Project Implementing Organization
The Youth Cafe

Target Group

Direct beneficiaries

The project intends to equip at least 5,000 youth through a combination of workshops, training sessions, and handbook dissemination. These young people will gain essential skills in media literacy, critical thinking, and online safety, enabling them to resist misinformation, challenge divisive narratives, and become informed advocates for democracy in their communities.

Indirect beneficiaries

The project aims to indirectly reach 100,000 community members through public awareness campaigns, social media engagement, and the cascading impact of informed youth sharing their knowledge. These community members will benefit from the educational content shared by the youth, particularly through platforms like WhatsApp, Twitter, and Instagram. As the youth become ambassadors of media literacy, they will amplify the project’s reach, influencing their families, peers, and broader networks.

Expected results/ outcome

The expected results/outcomes of the Digital Media Literacy and Youth Civic Reasoning in Kenya project include:

1. Increased Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Among Youth – At least 500 youth will be trained in fact-checking, online safety, and social media verification. This training will empower them to identify and counter misinformation, ultimately promoting more informed and responsible digital citizenship among young people.
   

2. Enhanced Civic Engagement – The project aims to engage more young people in democratic processes by improving their critical thinking skills. By providing them with the tools to resist digital manipulation, the initiative will contribute to a more informed and active youth demographic, reducing the influence of false or misleading information on civic participation.

3. Wider Community Impact Through Digital Campaigns – The project will aim to reach at least 50,000 people through various platforms, including social media campaigns, videos, podcasts, and live webinars. These multimedia initiatives will help raise awareness about misinformation and hate speech, empowering individuals to critically engage with digital content and spread accurate information within their communities.