Published to mark International Youth Day – 12th august
A young farmer in Wajir, a student in Garissa, and a young entrepreneur in Kilifi may live very different lives, but How Mawingu Is Opening Opportunities for Kenya’s Youth starts with a simple idea: access to reliable internet can help young people turn ambition into opportunity. Their communities, circumstances, and access to resources may not be the same, but many of their aspirations are familiar. They want to learn, develop skills, earn a living, build something of their own, and create a better future.
This is the idea behind the 2026 International Youth Day theme, “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations.” Young people may grow up in different circumstances, but the internet is giving more of them access to the same world of information, ideas, skills and opportunities. A young person can learn from someone in another part of the country, explore a career they had never considered, develop a new skill online, discover opportunities for work or connect with people and markets beyond their community. In this way, internet access is becoming one of the ways different contexts can lead young people towards common aspirations.
For young people in rural and underserved communities, however, these possibilities depend on access to reliable and affordable internet. Where connectivity is limited or unavailable, young people can miss out on information, digital learning, skills development and opportunities that are increasingly moving online. Expanding access to the internet therefore means giving young people more room to learn, explore, and participate in the digital economy, regardless of where they live.
This is where Mawingu WiFi comes in.
By providing affordable internet in rural Kenya and other underserved communities, Mawingu is helping young people connect to the digital resources they need to pursue their ambitions. The impact is already visible in communities where connectivity is being used for education, farming, and livelihoods.
In Kikao, Wajir County, for example, young farmers are using Mawingu connectivity to learn about farming practices, search for information when they encounter challenges, and share knowledge with other young people. The story of how Mawingu connectivity is empowering young farmers in Kikao shows how access to information is helping young people explore new farming methods and learn from experiences beyond their community. Said, a young farmer from Kikao, explains:
“Farmers in Wajir are becoming old, so we decided to bring fellow youth together and train them about farming, and Mawingu Wi-Fi is helping us do that.”
For these young farmers, having internet access means they are not limited to the information available within their immediate surroundings. They can look up new farming methods, learn from experiences elsewhere, and consider how those ideas can be applied in their own community.
Education is another area where this access matters. At Katheka Kai Primary School, learners and teachers are using internet access to complement classroom learning with digital resources.
At Garissa School for the Deaf, connectivity and digital skills are helping learners access technology and information.
For young people preparing for work or building businesses, the internet can similarly provide access to skills, information, customers and markets beyond their immediate surroundings. Mawingu’s 2025 Impact Report records 2,857 enterprises connected across 39 markets in 2025.
Mawingu CEO Farouk Ramji describes the role internet access can play in opening possibilities for those who have traditionally had limited access to connectivity:
“The internet provides equal opportunities for everyone. By connecting people, particularly those who previously lacked access, it offers a whole new world of possibilities.”
For young people, that access can influence the skills they develop, the knowledge they gain, and the paths they choose to pursue. Mawingu’s ambition to positively impact 1 million Africans by 2028 reflects its commitment to extending this access to more communities. Through the Microsoft–Starlink rural connectivity initiative, Mawingu will also bring connectivity to 450 community hubs across rural and peri-urban Kenya, including schools, farmer cooperatives and digital resource facilities.
These efforts are helping create more room for young people to learn, develop skills, pursue livelihoods, and participate in a digital economy that should not be limited by geography.
This International Youth Day, Mawingu celebrates Kenya’s youth and the different paths they are taking to build their futures, while working to ensure that access to the internet is not one of the barriers standing in their way.
To learn more about Mawingu and its commitment to connectivity, visit Mawingu.
