The Kenyan Nomad: How Yazua Afrika Is Reframing Masculinity

I’ll freely admit that I’m highly sceptical of programmes that target the ‘boy child’ or young men in a world that is still structurally stacked against women. That scepticism comes from a deep frustration: the sense that the rage we see so often is rooted in fear. Fear that women’s equality somehow threatens men’s current position of superiority. Fear that equality means loss.

So when I was introduced to Eric Mungai of Yazua Afrika, I held that scepticism close, but I also challenged myself to listen with an open mind. I’m glad I did.

“I’d like to see a continent that offers dignity — in health, education, and livelihoods. Where women are safe and able to participate fully. Where education is available for everyone. I’d like to see us leapfrog into modernity, to build cities like Dubai, while staying connected to our roots. I want us to find a place for everyone, so that everyone belongs. Where our people aren’t corrupt. Our resources don’t have to be wasted.”

Eric painted a compelling picture of the world he hopes to help build.

Born to a teenage mother, Eric was raised by his maternal grandfather. Teen pregnancy was difficult for his mother--she experienced post-natal depression, and was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder alongside other mental health challenges. His grandfather became the steady anchor Eric needed, providing love, care, and mentorship.

Without necessarily naming it as such, his grandfather took a coaching and mentorship approach. From an early age, he encouraged Eric to volunteer his time. One of the places Eric volunteered was a rehabilitation centre for street-involved boys. As he returned regularly, Eric began to notice something uncomfortable: while he came from the same environment and the same poverty as many of the boys there, his path was already diverging. He was doing well in school. He had support.

Digging deeper, he realised the difference was intentionality.

That realisation stayed with him. As Eric moved through college and into work, he continued to volunteer and remain curious about the lived experiences of these boys. At the centre, he noticed a troubling pattern. While school fees were being paid, many boys weren’t staying. The intervention wasn’t responding to their individual needs.

Eric came to understand that raising boys requires more than provision — it requires stories that speak to their hearts and imaginations.

What began as a weekend engagement slowly grew into a community. Eric developed a curriculum shaped by listening, observation, and lived experience.

“I wanted to give them something I had — something that gave me an edge.”

Much of that edge, he reflects, came from watching his grandfather evolve. While his grandfather had been angry, distant, and almost dictatorial with his own children, he was different with Eric. The shift came after his business failed, giving him the space to sit with himself.

“Men don’t know who they are until their world crumbles around them.”

With Eric, his grandfather was present. He listened. He encouraged expression. He had Eric read aloud to him — a practice Eric credits with significantly improving his academic performance.

These early experiences now inform Yazua Afrika’s programmes for boys and young men aged nine to twenty-one. Rather than teaching masculinity through rigid roles, Yazua reframes it through values and virtues.

“A lot of work with boys is still deeply patriarchal. Masculinity needs to move from roles to values. Discipline, determination, excellence — these are qualities that make you a good human being, and therefore a good man. The idea that manhood is about power over others isn’t just outdated; it’s dangerous.”

Yazua Afrika partners with high schools that need additional support in mentoring boys. They train mentors — including school alumni and professionals from corporate organisations — using their curriculum. They also license this curriculum to other organisations, such as rehabilitation centres for street-involved boys and groups working with boys from lower-income communities.

Their approach is intentionally experiential. Boys are immersed in their communities and encouraged to see themselves as contributors rather than recipients. For boys aged twelve to seventeen, this includes identifying a problem in their school or community and developing a solution. Often, they focus on issues such as waste management or climate change. Yazua Afrika then supports them by connecting the boys to relevant organisations — for example, the Africa Leadership Academy — which provide curriculum support, materials, and training.

The boys don’t just ideate. They act. They volunteer. They participate.

I was keen to hear stories of boys and men who had gone through Yazua Afrika’s programmes, and Eric shared several.

One is Peter Ndirangu, now working at L’Oréal and a strong supporter of Yazua Afrika. He is passionate about ethical sourcing, consistently asking what it would mean for a global company to prioritise clean products and moral supply chains — and how those decisions affect communities.

Another alumnus is a county assembly member actively pushing for progressive civic conversations. Another, also named Peter, runs a startup that encourages people to invest in and support coffee farmers.

Eric also shared reflections from participants who spoke about how the guidance and mentorship from him and the wider team helped them grow in confidence, discipline, and self-understanding.

As Yazua Afrika continues to grow, Eric is becoming increasingly intentional about partnerships and scale. The organisation is also preparing to open an office in Johannesburg.

I began this conversation sceptical. I left it persuaded of something important: working with boys does not have to come at the expense of women. When done thoughtfully, it is one of the ways we build safer, more equitable societies — for everyone.