UNESCO Learning CityKilifi County, Kenya
Kilifi County, located in Kenya, was inducted into UNESCO’s Global Network of Learning Cities in 2022.
The inhabitants of Kilifi County belong to the Mijikenda peoples, which are composed of nine related Bantu tribes. They raise livestock, including shoats and cattle for milk, meat, and skin. They practice salt mining to generate family income, although there is potential for fishing and the production of mangos, coconuts and cashew nuts.
The inhabitants of Kilifi County belong to the Mijikenda peoples, which are composed of nine related Bantu tribes. They raise livestock, including shoats and cattle for milk, meat, and skin. They practice salt mining to generate family income, although there is potential for fishing and the production of mangos, coconuts and cashew nuts.
Promoting lifelong learning for all
The municipality’s lifelong learning strategy aims to increase access to education and information systems.
Kilifi County envisions the creation of inclusive educational and social environments that promote sustainable development and develop skills for the world of work.
The municipality seeks to re-enroll school dropouts, introduce hands-on learning internships, and ensure that all citizens have access to water, food security, and clean and renewable energy.
Kilifi County envisions the creation of inclusive educational and social environments that promote sustainable development and develop skills for the world of work.
The municipality seeks to re-enroll school dropouts, introduce hands-on learning internships, and ensure that all citizens have access to water, food security, and clean and renewable energy.
Kamotho Ndung’uCEO and Co-Founder, Elimu Learning for Life, Kilifi
"We believe in inclusivity of everyone and equality in education, and this leads us to a lot of internships for youth and skills development."
A strong commitment to decent work and entrepreneurship
Kilifi County is prioritizing decent work and entrepreneurship by introducing hubs to upskill youth and prepare them for the world of work, through monthly programmes that train participants and link them to work opportunities.
Sustainability and health
The municipality is incorporating climate-smart green practices for access to water, food, and energy, as well as linking community health workers to neighbourhoods through clinics.
Kilifi furthermore organizes biannual check-ups and has introduced community hubs to support cultural norms.
Kilifi furthermore organizes biannual check-ups and has introduced community hubs to support cultural norms.
Promoting equity and inclusion
Kilifi County prioritizes the protection of girls and vulnerable citizens from negative cultural practices.
The municipality has thus adopted tracking and monitoring mechanisms and has mapped its information on vulnerable people and their needs.
The city also sensitizes parents and communities regarding persons with disabilities, gender equality, and inclusion.
The municipality has thus adopted tracking and monitoring mechanisms and has mapped its information on vulnerable people and their needs.
The city also sensitizes parents and communities regarding persons with disabilities, gender equality, and inclusion.
Kamotho Ndung’uCEO and Co-Founder, Elimu Learning for Life, Kilifi
“There are a lot of opportunities that Kilifi has provided for our youth in entrepreneurship, women entrepreneurship, and even to our unfortunate communities like prisoners by providing them with business skills, entrepreneurship skills, and mapping out the rest of their community service so that we are building from the same base.”
Kilifi County’s good practices NIWFESS Framework/Integrated Mechanisms of Poverty Reduction for Sustainable Education and Development (IMPReSED)
NIWFESS and IMPReSED serve as a water, food, and clean energy nexus to promote green and healthy living practices in the community. The hubs also provide learning opportunities.
Kilifi County’s good practices Oppida Fund
A co-financed revolving fund to promote a circular economy, which covers fair and micro-loans, crowdsourcing initiatives, pay-to-own schemes for basic needs, and academic advantage programmes to help low-income families enrol in education, among others.
Kilifi County’s good practices Smart Access
Smart Access is an integrated digital platform that enables citizens to engage in e-commerce, access a learning library, attend courses in digital classrooms, and make public announcements. Members are also provided with tokens that offer discounts in shops and access to free Wi-Fi in market areas.
Kamotho Ndung’uCEO and Co-Founder, Elimu Learning for Life, Kilifi
"Kilifi was able to bring in an offline intranet resource centre that when COVID came and nobody could afford internet or could not even access the classrooms, we were able to provide the communities around us with an offline intranet resource centre and our students were able to continue being engaged in education."
The UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities
The UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) supports and improves the practice of lifelong learning in member cities by promoting policy dialogue and peer learning, documenting effective strategies and good practice, fostering partnerships, providing capacity development, and developing tools and instruments to design, implement and monitor learning cities strategies.
UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities
Credits: UNESCO; Hamid Al-Timami/Shutterstock.com; Adriana Mahdalova/Shutterstock.com; Joseph Sohm/Shutterstock.com; Jen Watson/Shutterstock.com; Elen Marlen/Shutterstock.com; vic josh/Shutterstock.com
UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities
Credits: UNESCO; Hamid Al-Timami/Shutterstock.com; Adriana Mahdalova/Shutterstock.com; Joseph Sohm/Shutterstock.com; Jen Watson/Shutterstock.com; Elen Marlen/Shutterstock.com; vic josh/Shutterstock.com
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Kilifi County, Kenya
Promoting lifelong learning for all
Kamotho Ndung’u
A strong commitment to decent work and entrepreneurship
Sustainability and health
Promoting equity and inclusion
Kamotho Ndung’u
NIWFESS Framework/Integrated Mechanisms of Poverty Reduction for Sustainable Education and Development (IMPReSED)
Oppida Fund
Smart Access
Kamotho Ndung’u
The UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities