YADEN was founded in 2003 by Sami Gathii and works in an innovative, inclusive and participatory Arts and Sports based method targeting marginalized and disfranchised young people as an entry to the wider community.

Since our founding in 2003 and having worked with over 90,000 young people and their grassroots communities, organized into over 4,000 Youth Platform of Opportunity (YPO) Groups in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi, YADEN East Africa investment on empowering and engaging young people is anchored on the principles of;

• Understanding Youth Dynamics,
• Formulating Creative and Innovative Intervention strategies,
• Individual and Organizational Capacity Building,
• Networking through creation of grassroots based systems and structures ,
• Continuous support and Sustainability,
• Knowledge/Research Development and Linking,

Through a Participatory and Inclusive development model YADEN targets to ensure young people through all their social, economic and political diversities take change of their issues and those of their grassroots communities, key to this is on re-defining young people and their needs and engaging Deliberate Focus Approach (DFA) in ensuring key youth sub-groups such as Young Women receive their due attention.