The AFA computer program targets youth between the ages of 18 and 35 from the Mukuru slums. The program takes into consideration current job-opportunity requirements for computer knowledge. Youth living in the slum usually cannot afford to pay for computer training in educational institutions; besides, the Kenyan education system has not fully integrated computer studies as part of its curriculum. This leaves most of these youth with little opportunity to acquire the required skills.
Those admitted to the program are required to have at least primary education and to have shown interest in computer studies. The AFA program is in line with the Global Urban Observatory of the UN-Habitat program started in 2003 that monitors the Urban Inequities Program (MUIP). It intends to strengthen global monitoring and reporting on the goals of the Habitat Agenda and the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) — especially targets one and eight: to eradicate poverty and extreme hunger and to develop a global partnership for development.
Nationally, AFA contributes to the Kenya National Youth Policy (KNYP) of 2007, which envisions a society where youth have an equal opportunity to realise their fullest potential, productively participating in economic, social, political, cultural and religious life. AFA’s strategy supports poverty reduction through employment creation, training and youth empowerment.
Computer programs at AFA
The training comprises the following courses:
- Stage one: basic Microsoft Office packages
- Stage two: graphics and web-design packages
- Stage three: programming packages
Graduations in numbers
- 2011 — 42 students
- 2012 — 39 students
- 2013 — 66 students
- 2014 — 13 students
- 2015 — 28 students
- 2016 — 23 students
Since 2011, hundreds of students from Mukuru have completed the computer course. By 2025 the project had held 14 graduation ceremonies. Complete lists of graduates for each year are kept in the project archive.