Step-Up Together CBO was founded in 2019 by a group of young women and men moved by the desire to impact and change the lives of women and youths in Kisumu County, Kenya. The founding members, coming from backgrounds and communities that have long been faced with limited access to basic resources with majority of their peers suffering early pregnancies, deaths due to unsafe abortions, Gender Based Violence, crime and drug abuse, we have been determined to change the story for adolescents, youths and women in slums and rural areas experiencing these inequalities. The organization’s foundation was therefore laid on the basis of addressing current and recurrent felt-needs and disparities faced by women and youths in our society and addressing them through culturally sensitive approaches and evidence-based interventions. In so doing, Step-Up Together founding members held Focus Discussion Groups with fellow community members to deeply understand needs and inform the organization’s intentions. This fact-finding mission and solution-based approach saw us join hands and collectively design strategies with primary focus on adolescents, women and youths in Kisumu County. These have been within the thematic areas of Gender-Based violence and mental health, women and youth economic empowerment, Civic Engagement, open governance and Social Accountability. The organization members hold the belief that going back to where we grew up to make change will not only inspire young generations to become aware of the challenges they face as a people, but to also learn, understand and model appropriate interventions to advocate for their rights, defend their bodily autonomy and hold local leaders accountable. The founding of the organization has since seen it empower youths in Kondele, Manyatta and Nyalenda to form women and youth groups where they generate income, partner with local organizations to advocate against Gender based violence of women in Nyando and Muhoroni, advocate for bodily autonomy of adolescent girls, universal mental health rights for youths and contribute menstrual dignity kits to school going girls among many other achievements.

SUTO intends to embark on civic education on land rights and tenure system provided in the Land Act, community Land act, succession Act and constitution of Kenya targeting 1500 women through use of organized community formations, self-help groups and women groups. Step Up Together will provide intensive civic education through women land rights champions, mass civic educations through use of local radio stations, chief barazas and community meetings and dialogues with duty bearers such as county land and spatial planning on land ownership. Additionally, the project will promote livelihood and agricultural training to women and credit to enhance farm produce and income.