Stories

Stories of people in action.

Discover the people, ideas, programmes and experiences shaping the Youth In Action Association movement.

Leaders · Programmes · Impact

Featured Story

From the field.

Skill Training for Youth: Building a Better Future

In today’s rapidly evolving world, the youth are the future. It is essential to equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate through life successfully. This is where organizations like Youth In Action play a crucial role in shaping the next generation of leaders and change-makers. Based in Harare, Zimbabwe, Youth In Action is a charitable organization that is dedicated to empowering and engaging young people while also extending a helping hand to the less privileged in society. One of the key ways they do this is through providing skill training opportunities to the youth. Skill training is a powerful tool for building a better future. By offering practical skills in various fields, Youth In Action empowers individuals to earn a living and improve their lives. This sets them apart from traditional charity organizations by focusing on sustainable solutions that have a long-lasting impact. Through their programs and initiatives, Youth In Action encourages young people to develop leadership skills, participate in community service, and advocate for social change. By nurturing these qualities in the youth, they are not only creating capable individuals but also fostering a culture of active citizenship and community engagement. Incorporating skill training into their programs allows Youth In Action to address the unique needs of the community while also equipping young people with the tools they need to succeed in today’s competitive job market. Whether it’s through technical skills training, entrepreneurship programs, or soft skills development, Youth In Action is dedicated to providing comprehensive support to the youth. As they continue to inspire and support the next generation of leaders and change-makers, Youth In Action remains committed to their mission of making a positive impact in the community. Through their values and principles, they aim to instill a sense of purpose and responsibility in the youth, ensuring that they are well-equipped to face the challenges of tomorrow. Skill training for youth is not just about acquiring knowledge; it’s about building a better future for everyone. And with organizations like Youth In Action leading the way, the possibilities for positive change are endless.

By Mégane Tíomela

Ideas, experiences and impact.

Explore stories from across the YIAA community and discover the people and programmes behind the work.

Article5 min read

5,000 Books and Counting

At Youth In Action Association, we believe that sometimes the most powerful thing you can give a young person is not simply a material possession, but an opportunity to learn, imagine and see a different future. Since our establishment in 2022, Youth In Action Association (YIAA) has been committed to empowering young people through practical action, personal development and community support. One of the initiatives closest to this vision has been our Personal Development Book Drive. Today, we are proud to celebrate a major milestone: more than 5,000 books donated to young people and communities across Zimbabwe. For us, a book is more than a collection of pages. It can introduce a young person to a new idea. It can inspire a dream, develop a skill, challenge a limiting belief or provide the knowledge needed to take the next step in life. Our book drives focus particularly on personal development, leadership, life skills and growth. Through these resources, we seek to encourage young people to develop a mindset of continuous learning and to take greater ownership of their futures. This work is an important part of YIAA's broader mission of helping young people understand their ambitions and equipping them with the tools, tactics and strategies to pursue them. The journey has been one of steady growth. YIAA's 2025 organisational profile recorded more than 2,500 books donated since the organisation's founding, reaching six children's homes and orphanages. Since then, the initiative has continued to grow, taking the total number of books donated beyond 5,000. That milestone represents thousands of opportunities for young people to encounter knowledge outside the traditional classroom and to discover ideas that can influence the way they think about themselves and their future. While food, clothing, hygiene products and other basic necessities can provide vital relief to families facing difficult circumstances, we also believe in investing in the long-term development of people. Our programmes therefore combine community support with initiatives focused on education, personal development, leadership and empowerment. A donated book may cost little compared with many other forms of assistance, but its impact can continue long after the donation has been made. One book can be read by one person, then shared with another. An idea discovered in one chapter can influence a decision years later. A lesson can become a skill. A story can change someone's perspective. That is the kind of ripple effect we want to create.

By Mégane Tíomela

Article3 min read

Why We Train Leaders, Not Just Volunteers

At Youth In Action Association (YIAA), we believe that meaningful change does not happen simply because people are willing to help. It happens when people are equipped to lead, inspire and create solutions. That is why our work goes beyond recruiting volunteers. We invest in developing young leaders. Volunteers Help. Leaders Multiply Impact. Volunteering is an important starting point. It teaches responsibility, teamwork and compassion. But leadership takes those qualities further. A volunteer may participate in a community project. A leader asks, “What problem are we trying to solve, and how can we make this better?” A volunteer may complete a task. A leader learns how to organise others, make decisions, communicate effectively and take responsibility for the outcome. At YIAA, we want young people to develop the confidence and skills to move from simply participating in change to creating and sustaining it. Leadership is not reserved for people with titles. It can be learned, practised and strengthened. Through our programmes and activities, we encourage young people to develop practical skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, decision-making and accountability. We also emphasise something equally important: character. Our goal is not to create leaders who only succeed individually. We want to develop young people who understand that their growth can benefit the people around them. A young person who gains confidence can encourage another young person. Someone who develops a new skill can teach it to others. Someone who learns how to organise a project can eventually lead a community initiative. This is how impact multiplies. Instead of asking, “How many volunteers do we have?”, we want to ask, “How many people are now capable of creating change themselves?” The Future Needs More Than Participants. Zimbabwe has talented, ambitious young people with enormous potential. But potential needs opportunity, guidance and the right environment to develop. At YIAA, we believe leadership development is one way of creating that environment. Every training session, community project, mentorship opportunity and volunteer experience can become a building block towards something bigger. Because the young person serving on a project today could be the entrepreneur, community organiser, professional, policymaker or social innovator leading change tomorrow. We don't just want young people to show up. We want them to grow. And when they grow, we want them to take others with them. That is why we train leaders, not just volunteers.

By Mégane Tíomela

Article3 min read

Exposure 4 Empowerment: Opening Doors to New Possibilities

At Youth In Action Association (YIAA), we believe that sometimes a young person does not need someone to tell them what they can become. They simply need the opportunity to see what is possible. That belief is at the heart of Exposure 4 Empowerment — a programme designed to connect young people with experiences, environments and people that can broaden their understanding of the world and their own potential. Cognizant of the fact that you can't aspire to what you have never seen, we have seen that for many young people, their ambitions are shaped by the environments around them. If you have never visited a professional workplace, met someone working in a field you are interested in, experienced a different industry or spoken to people who have taken unconventional career paths, it can be difficult to imagine yourself doing those things. Exposure changes that. It gives young people the opportunity to see different possibilities first-hand and to understand that their future does not have to be limited by their current circumstances. Exposure creates awareness. Awareness creates ambition. And ambition can become action. Exposure 4 Empowerment is not simply about taking young people on visits or introducing them to new environments. The goal is to help them learn from those experiences. Through the programme, young people can interact with professionals, organisations and different environments while gaining insights into careers, leadership, entrepreneurship, personal development and the realities of the working world. These experiences can help answer questions that cannot always be answered in a classroom. A single interaction with the right person can introduce a young person to an entirely new career path. A visit to an organisation can transform an abstract ambition into something tangible. A conversation with a leader can show them that success is possible — and that it takes preparation, discipline and action. Some of the most valuable lessons come from seeing, asking questions, listening to people's experiences and stepping into unfamiliar environments. That is why Exposure 4 Empowerment complements YIAA's other programmes. Our wider work focuses on developing young people's skills, confidence, leadership and personal growth, while exposure gives them an opportunity to connect those lessons with the real world. YIAA's 2026 programme calendar, for example, includes Exposure 4 Empowerment activities alongside high-performance training, mentorship and other youth development initiatives. The combination matters. Knowledge tells you what is possible. Exposure allows you to see it. Empowerment gives you the confidence to pursue it. Our ambition is not simply to expose young people to successful people or successful organisations. It is to encourage them to ask better questions about their own futures. We want young people to leave each experience with new ideas, new connections and a stronger belief in what they can accomplish. Because empowerment is not about doing everything for someone. It is about giving them the knowledge, confidence, connections and opportunities to eventually do more for themselves and others. Through Exposure 4 Empowerment, YIAA is working to create those moments — moments where a young person sees a new possibility and thinks: “Maybe I can do that too.” And sometimes, that thought is where a completely different future begins.

By Mégane Tíomela

The YIAA Story

Every story starts with a decision to take action.

Behind every programme, achievement and community initiative are people choosing to dream, develop and act. These are their stories.