One year in, the Lamu Youth Innovation Programme has worked with 140 young people, produced 38 completed projects, and sent two participants to a national competition.
One year in, the Lamu Youth Innovation Programme has worked with 140 young people, produced 38 completed projects, and sent two participants to a national competition.
The programme runs from I.O.Me005 in Hindi Town and is open to anyone between 14 and 24 years old. Sessions happen on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and all day Saturday. There is no fee and no formal application — participants show up, join an orientation session, and start building.
The first year exceeded our expectations in volume but also in depth. Several participants have returned every week since the first month. A few have become informal lab assistants, helping newer members find their footing with the equipment.
The two participants who went to the national Young Innovators Challenge in Nairobi brought a solar-powered water pump designed for small-scale farming. They didn't win, but they presented to a panel of engineers and came back with specific technical feedback that they're now working on. That feedback loop — build, present, improve — is exactly what the programme is designed to create.
Year two starts with a more structured track for participants who have completed at least four projects. They'll work toward a defined brief with a demo at the end. Details coming in October.