Go Make Impact Foundation (GMIF) is a not-for-profit organization established in 2010 as a Community-Based Organization (CBO) in Mombasa County, with the primary goal of supporting life-skills development among youth and adolescents in the coastal region of Kenya. In 2018, the organization transitioned and was formally registered as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) to expand its reach across the wider coastal region and extend support to other vulnerable communities in Kenya.
GMIF’s headquarters are located in Bamburi, Mombasa County, while activities across the six coastal counties are coordinated through representatives of local CBO partners.
Governance and Leadership
The foundation is managed by an Advisory Board comprising a Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer, supported by a team of experts with diverse skills. These include:
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- Director (Finance & Resource Mobilization)
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- Director (ICT & Data Management)
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- Program Manager (Youth Engagement & Extension)
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- Technical Leads in key areas:
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- Adolescents & Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health (AYSRH)
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- Career & Leadership
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- Project Management & Research
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- Entrepreneurship & Innovation
In addition, Project Officers provide support in specific program areas including AYSRH, Entrepreneurship, Career & Leadership, and Youth Engagement & Extension.
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Our Approaches
GMIF applies a holistic model in engaging and supporting youth and adolescents. The organization employs diverse approaches such as training, mentorship, coaching, and counseling to build capacity and resilience. At the same time, advocacy and policy engagement are central to our work, enabling us to influence decision-making processes and foster a supportive environment where young people can thrive.
WHAT WE ARE ADDRESSING
The Coastal region of Kenya is endowed with rich natural resources, immense talent, and vast entrepreneurial opportunities that remain underdeveloped. Despite this potential, the region faces some of the highest levels of income inequality in the country. Many young people, in particular, are unable to access basic services such as quality healthcare and education.
This has resulted in increased school dropouts, early parenting, low motivation to pursue careers and leadership roles, and low transition rates to higher education. Consequently, many youth are forced into poor social and economic choices. Women and young people of reproductive age make up the largest segment of the population—an active group with the potential to drive labor, leadership, and innovation. However, due to low education levels and lack of life-skills, they have not been able to effectively contribute to social and economic development, nor actively participate in leadership opportunities.
Recognizing these challenges, GMIF acknowledges the need for an integrated approach to complement the efforts of other stakeholders in improving the livelihoods of vulnerable groups. For this reason, the foundation develops and implements holistic life-skills programs aimed at addressing these challenges while contributing to sustainable development.