Our History

Dream Achievers Youth Organization (DAYO) is a National Youth Led Non Governmental Organization (NGO) Registered under the NGOs Co-ordination Board with a Registration Number: OP.218/051/21-479/12560 based in Mombasa Kenya. DAYO started as a theatre group in 2005 by 7 young persons in Kisauni Constituency of Mombasa County. This group used theatre approach to sensitize the community on health issues facing young people. The theatre group had a fluid leadership committee consisting of a Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and theatre/drama trainer while other members constituted the group as members. In 2009 the group was registered as a Community Based Organization (CBO) to advance its mandate through the support from well-wishers in the community that constituted the organizational Advisory Board.

In 2021, DAYO developed a Board Charter defining its roles and responsibilities that has guided review and development of organizational policies and current upgrade of organizational mandate as a Non Governmental Organization (NGO).

DAYO’s key interventions have been capacity strengthening for young people on key thematic concerns, community engagement and empowerment, health financing, media engagement, livelihoods and entrepreneurship incubation and policy advocacy for youth programming. DAYO also works with socially excluded groups including persons with disabilities, sexual and gender minorities and young people. DAYO is also a hub for creative expression through artistic formats such as plays, skits, graffiti, poetry and spoken word. The year 2021 December, DAYO received an award for being an organization that tackles 9 Sustainable Development Goals through its programming by SDG Forum Kenya.

The organization developed a summary of The Kenya School Health Policy 2018, Adolescent and Youth with Disability on Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights in Kenya and the Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health Policy 2015, Kilifi Policy Brief on Menstrual Hygene Management, DAYO Covid 19 Need Assessment Report and Kilifi Menstrual Hygene Management Policy. Current, we are supporting Mombasa County to develop PWD Policy. The objective is to increase young people’s understanding of the policy documents that address their SRHR to enable them support the implementation.

Youth Empowerment Project 2013 (Rebranded in 2017 as Y-BIZNA) that sought to train vulnerable young people from informal settlements of Kisauni sub-county on financial literacy and business skills. Y-BIZNA also offers start-up capital and links the beneficiaries to financial institutions. KUZA project (Imarisha Vijana Centre) from 2015-2017 which established a one-stop center where young people could access information, training on financial literacy and the job market, referrals to financial institutions and mentorship. Maji Safi, Afya Bora Kwa Jamii project implemented in Kashani Bamburi Ward. Fufua Biashara and Sewing Machine Operation Project by KCDF that aims at empowering youth economically and reviving back businesses that were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

In addition, the organization has in place Policies, Manuals and Systems for Finance, Human Resource, Resource Mobilization, Monitoring and Evaluation, Strategic Plan and Communication.