Youth Leadership • Peacebuilding • Skills Development
Established14/10/2014
Target Age15–35 years
FocusYouth voice, peace, skills, and inclusion
Uniting Somali youth for peace, participation, and opportunity.
Youth Organization Union (YOU) is a youth-centered platform that empowers young people through civic engagement, advocacy, peacebuilding, education, and economic empowerment. We work to ensure that youth voices are heard and that young people can actively contribute to the future of Somalia.
Civic engagement
Peacebuilding
Economic empowerment
Education support
Youth advocacy
Community partnerships
Our Identity
Building a generation of skilled, resilient, and peaceful Somali youth.
YOU envisions a future where Somali youth are active participants in nation-building, social cohesion, and economic recovery. The organization exists to unite young people, strengthen their capabilities, and create a meaningful platform for representation in political and social life.
Read our mission and visionWhat makes YOU different
- Youth-led and community-oriented
- Focused on both peace and opportunity
- Inclusive of women, IDPs, PWDs, and marginalized groups
- Combines grassroots action with advocacy
- Designed for practical local impact
Core Objectives
Transforming youth potential into community impact
Our work responds directly to the realities and needs of Somali youth and their communities.
Civic Engagement
Increase youth participation in local governance, reconciliation, and inclusive political processes.
Peacebuilding
Counter extremism, promote inter-clan dialogue, and strengthen social cohesion.
Economic Empowerment
Provide vocational training, entrepreneurship skills, and pathways toward employment.
Advocacy
Push for youth-inclusive policies and stronger access to public services.
Education
Support literacy, informal learning, and education access for out-of-school youth.
Inclusion
Ensure that young women, IDPs, PWDs, and marginalized youth are represented and supported.
Our Mission
To unite Somali youth through advocacy, skills development, and peacebuilding initiatives, providing a platform for their voices to be heard in the political and social spheres of their communities.
Our Vision
To cultivate a generation of skilled, resilient, and peaceful Somali youth who are actively engaged in the nation-building and economic recovery of Somalia.
Why We Exist
A response to instability, exclusion, and lack of opportunity.
YOU was formed in the context of youth unemployment, limited representation, and vulnerability to instability. The organization was envisioned as a positive platform that could redirect youth energy toward leadership, peace, education, and community service.
By combining advocacy, practical programs, and inclusive engagement, YOU helps create alternatives to marginalization and strengthens the role of youth in recovery and development.
Who We Serve
Inclusive support for diverse youth communities
University Students
Leadership and civic participation opportunities for emerging professionals.
Out-of-School Youth
Support for youth who need pathways to learning, work, and community belonging.
Young Women & Girls
Representation, safe participation, and empowerment through youth platforms.
IDPs
Community-based inclusion for displaced youth facing social and economic barriers.
PWDs
More inclusive youth structures that recognize dignity, access, and participation.
Marginalized Groups
Advocacy and programming that broadens representation and opportunity.
Partner With YOU
Support youth leadership, peace, and opportunity in Somalia.
We welcome partnerships with institutions, NGOs, community leaders, and supporters committed to youth development.