About Us - Utena Youth Initiative

Who We Are

Since 1998,
Operating in Birmingham.

U-Tena Youth Organization was founded in 2006 by a group of enthusiastic youth leaders in the Mukuru Slums of Nairobi as a youth development group. The group was established on the belief that through arts, young people could gain agency and become change makers.

Through our various outreach programs, we foster engagement and build relationships with local youth to bring about positive change. Since 2007, we expanded our reach to the entirety of Nairobi County.

U-Tena currently continues to grow, touching lives, and making a difference one step at a time. Through integration of performing arts we have made great strides in the under-served populations in our community.

We foster innovation, teamwork, leadership and the sharing of knowledge.

Our Core Values

Excellence

We foster a workplace culture that embraces innovation, teamwork, leadership, and the sharing of knowledge.

Integrity

We steward the resources entrusted to us with competency, efficiency, transparency and care. We measure progress and report results to demonstrate the value we add.

Impact

We believe change is possible. We are change catalysts for individuals, communities and systems. We lead from one place to a better future.

Professionalism

We use evidence-informed practices to provide quality services, demonstrating our commitment to ethical and professional standards.

Social Justice

We are a rights based, action-oriented and advocate group for those we serve.

U-Tena's Strategic Focus

Our strategic framework guides how we prioritize people, resources, partnerships, and processes to maximize meaningful and sustainable impact for the young people and communities we serve across Nairobi County. It provides a clear direction for delivering inclusive, youth-centred programmes, strengthening community participation, and responding effectively to emerging needs and opportunities.