The HORN Community Outreach Program’s main objective is to foster an attitude of reciprocity, inclusivity, and accountability among staff members as well as the immediate community through participation in activities that enhance the quality of life for all with special emphasis on the youth, women, and children. Some of the successful notable community engagements, projects, and activities carried out by the Institute, under the auspices of its Center for the Study of Terrorism and Violent Extremism and the BRAVE program, include Family Resilience Project, Lenga Ugaidi na Talanta, and Day of Prayer and Action for Children.
Building Family Resilience Against Violent Extremism
This project seeks to actively involve women working or living in informal settlements of Nairobi and Mombasa in Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) by building their capacity to educate children and young people against radicalization into violent extremism. The women/mothers from different faith backgrounds are provided with training on the nature of violent extremism and its prevention. The project further imparts entrepreneurship and leadership skills to the women as part of the broader objective of enhancing local independence and gendering local change for inclusive and sustainable programming in poverty reduction.
Lenga Ugaidi na Talanta
This is an initiative that seeks to channel youth creativity towards countering violent extremists’ narratives. This project involves a country-wide competition targeting Kenyan youth participants (under 35 years) in the fight against radicalization and violent extremism. The competition involves the development of short films, songs, and poems that ultimately contribute towards countering violent extremism narratives in specific thematic areas. The objectives of the competition are to: Read More
Day of Prayer and Action for Children
Every year, the Institute joins other likeminded organizations in organizing and participating in the Day of Prayer and Action for Children (DPAC) – a day set aside for children in which organizations take action to put to end violence through various activities. Since 2017, the Institute has organized and participated in every edition of this endeavor. The day involves identifying and visiting selected children’s homes. Donations in form of food, clothing, and money are often offered. Mentorship and counselling are also provided to the children. Experts especially on child psychology deliver talks on areas such as violence against children in the community, HIV awareness, and terrorism, among others.