THE CATHOLIC YOUTH TELEVISION IN NAIROBI KENYA: YOUNIB

Kenya is a third world country with social, political and economical issues that mainly tend to have a negative impact on young people, who comprises of 75% of the Kenya’s population (where 49% are below 15 years). For many years young Kenyans have played an active role in the conflicts; especially young men who have been used as combatants for different events and relays for certain activities (logistics, information, etc.). This has led some people, to date in our region of the eastlands – Nairobi, to perceive young people (especially young men) as a threat to security and peace.

In some areas within Nairobi, these young people have also organized defense movements to protect their communities from human rights abuses imposed on them by what they see as the occupying forces. Nowadays, young people are also the main victims of inter-ethnic and inter-religious conflicts in terms of loss of human life and degradation of living conditions. Gender analysis shows that these conflicts have had different consequences for young men and women. During these multiple conflicts, many cases of rape and physical as well as psychological violence were perpetrated against young women and girls. They were particularly targeted by groups to sow terror among families. Gender-based violence continues to this day but women and girls are not only victims; they are sometimes not only actors in the conflicts, but also the most courageous actors of reconciliation.

Now that Kenya has been making efforts to emerge from the crisis, it is therefore important to find strategies to transform young people into agents of peace, participating in decision-making through youth-focused television station.

YOUNIB TV wants to empower young people, to give their interfaith fellowship a voice through television broadcasting so that they can express their concerns, interests and needs as well as promote and protect their religions, cultures, traditions and heritages and also determine their own development.

Our Mission Statement is to reach over 53 million Kenyans of which 35 million of youths and progressively more countries and people of over 100 different nationalities throughout the world with the Gospel of Hope of Jesus Christ through TV cable television broadcasts, especially in this time. As the first Kenyan Catholic youth television, we want to reach out to the most vulnerable, the lost, and to equip the body of Christ through the production and broadcast of quality Christian, ecumenical and interreligious programming.

Young people will have access to and participate in the daily activities of YOUNIB TV and as well have access to relevant information to improve their situation. YOUNIB TV will provide access to information, education and knowledge that meets the needs of young people regardless of their faith and religious beliefs, which are factors that will facilitate achievements in poverty reduction and sustainable human development.

The TV targets youths as the primary audience. That’s according to the age bracket of a youth, 18 – 35 years old. It targets also children and teenagers in primary and secondary schools.

The TV will also target parents to the youths as they play a bigger role in guiding the younger generation and also involve major stakeholders, advertisers with their own companies and businesses that mostly deal in products or services consumed by the youths. This youth Tv is run exclusively by the youths themselves under guidance. For more information about what we do follow us on our social media platforms!