MYA's governance architecture is designed to ensure that youth participation begins at the village level and flows through representative structures to county-wide decision-making.
Core Governance Principle
Power flows upward from the village level to the Board of Directors — not downward from a distant headquarters to passive beneficiaries.
The Foundation of MYA Democracy
Coverage & Scale
Every village and location
Role & Scope
Village Youth Forums bring together MYA members at village and location level. They meet at least quarterly to discuss local issues, elect representatives to Ward Committees and provide direct feedback on MYA programmes.
Key Responsibilities
Community consultation, representation, feedback and local participation.
Grassroots Coordination
Coverage & Scale
30 wards × 25 members
Role & Scope
Thirty Ward Committees coordinate MYA activities across the villages within each ward. They lead membership registration, organize village forums and serve as the first level of grievance resolution.
Key Responsibilities
Ward coordination, membership, grievances and community feedback.
Cross-Ward Coordination
Coverage & Scale
6 constituencies × 25 members
Role & Scope
Six Constituency Committees coordinate activities across the wards within each constituency while supporting early warning, cross-ward learning and engagement with constituency-level government institutions.
Key Responsibilities
Cross-ward coordination, early warning, advocacy and government liaison.
Apex Representative Body
Coverage & Scale
33 representatives
Role & Scope
The Youth Assembly is the apex representative body of MYA. It brings together elected ward representatives and special-interest representatives and exercises constitutional authority over the organization's strategic direction.
Key Responsibilities
Approves work plans and budgets, elects the President, ratifies the Executive Secretary and determines policy positions.
Executive & Technical Arm
The Secretariat is responsible for the day-to-day implementation of MYA programmes, resource mobilization, partner coordination, financial management and reporting to donors and the Board.
Core Technical Functions
Oversight & Governance
The Board provides oversight, strategic guidance and fiduciary accountability while holding the Secretariat accountable for organizational performance.
12
Board Members
6 / 6
Female / Male Parity
Technical & Contextual Guidance
A 35-member council drawn from respected community figures including retired professionals, livestock experts, religious leaders and former administrators. The Council provides technical advice while preserving youth control over decision-making.
35
Advisors
From village forums to county-wide representative structures, MYA's governance model keeps decision-making participatory, inclusive, and accountable to the young people it represents.