UpToYouToo. Equal chances for youth in developing countries on sustainable economic and creative independence. 

In its projects UpToYouToo wishes to:

1. Achieve a mentality change (work-ethos, self-esteem, responsibility/initiative) of youth in developing as well as over-developed countries;

2. Facilitate education and expertise in the ghettos of Nairobi;

3. Enable youth from these ghettos to make their own living and deploy their talent (capacity-building).

4. Create a secure basis around all projects by means of an external network (businesses, organizations and individuals);

5. Achieve self-sustaining interlinked projects (commercial with a social angle – social entrepreneurship);

6. Set up projects together with or solely by local intiative and with local expertise.

The philosophy behind youth policy:
In few years from now all over the globe youth will outnumber adults. Still there are hardly any practical youth-development policies around that actually involve youth. Kenya’s demographics already show youth (to 30) to be the largest section of its population. At the same time youth are the most marginalized group. It has been neglected by politicians and NGOs alike and not only in Kenya. We feel youth are the major actors of change, not in the future but now. One of our focuses is on youth culture and hip hop. Hip hop casts a critical voice into society and is a medium for change and positive action of youth in Kenya, Africa and beyond.

Strategic Plan 2008 - 2010

Annual Report 2007

Annual Report 2006

Annual Report 2005

Ghetto Youth Entrepreneurship
The International Labor Organisation estimates about 88 million youth are unemployed in the world. This is 47% of the total of 186 million unemployed. One billion people will become of working age within the next decade. At the same time the World Bank concludes that the vast majority of people who escape from poverty do so by starting their own business.

Research shows that youth entrepreneurship can only exist if potential youth entrepreneurs have access to more than (micro-)credit. They also need to know how to manage a group, finances, acquisition and marketing. In order to promote entrepreneurship skills training and business counseling are essential. UpToYouToo believes training youth self-help groups in order to become economically viable is a key component of the task to reach MDG 1; halving poverty by 2015. 2006 marked the 3rd year in which UpToYouToo supported Youth Initiatives Kenya financially and strategically.

Mainstreaming of Ghetto Entertainment
UNECA research has shown that Africa generates only 0.4% of global information and entertainment content on the web and mass communication outlets. If South Africa's contribution is excluded, the figure is only 0.02%. There is a need for Africa to export information and knowledge; to participate and promote African cultural heritage, including the film sector and music industry.

Mainstreaming African content in global entertainment and audiovisual industries is about getting Africa represented in a highly Anglo-American domain. UpToYouToo sees an overlap in content mainstreaming and connecting youth worldwide. Ragz2Records Studios was founded to serve artists from the ghettos whilst becoming financially independent by producing commercials for companies.