Global Youth Coalition Member Feature: Barklay Okero Mogeni

1.  Where are you connected right now? Tell us about the work you’re doing.
I am from Nairobi Kenya. I have a diploma in automotive engineering from Kabete National Polytechnic. Currently, I am working as a mobile auto mechanic in Nairobi –Kenya, and am part of the task force trained to undertake projects under the International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) through the Star Rating for Schools (SR4S) toolkit by analyzing the road conditions around schools in my area.

I am a volunteer of the Kenya Red Cross and a member of the Red Cross Kabete Chapter, a chapter at my college where I met a friend who convinced me to join and train in road safety. I can say am new to the road safety field because I have been only been working in it for five months but I can say the skill and knowledge I have attained can help encourage other youth leaders to get involved.

 

2.  How did you first get involved in road safety and long have you been working in the road safety and sustainable mobility field?
Back in 2014, I witnessed a very bad road crash that brought everything at the school to a halt. During the crash, we lost a parent and their three kids who were on the way to school to visit their sibling. The school was trying to persuade the local authorities to put road signs and bumps on the road and, during the incident, it was made loud and clear that something has to happen to address these issues.

3. Can you tell us a little bit about the road safety and sustainable mobility situation in your area?
The area I live in is not very well developed in terms of the road network and those that are already in place are not well maintained. This is the main cause of the frequent road crashes that happen in the area. The poor roads, un-roadworthy vehicles, and instances of driving under the influence of alcohol and substance abuse contribute to the dangerous road-related situations in my country.

 

4. Why do you think it’s important to include young people in the local and global road safety efforts?
Young people make up a huge part of the global population and are the most vulnerable when it comes to road traffic crashes. It’s important to involve us in local and global road safety efforts since we are directly and indirectly affected. We should be better trained in safer mobility to help prevent loss of life on the world’s roads. The youth population is also the most productive group in the globe so it will be another way to help improve the economy.

 

5. Why did you join Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety?
I heard of its reputation in the road safety and sustainable mobility field and I was eager to be part of the team in order to make changes in my locality and the global community at large. Also, I am passionate about saving lives and making the society we live in better for all.

6. What are your comments on the coalition? Its activities? Its opportunities?
It’s great to be part of the Youth Coalition since it is a very distinctive organization in terms of how it performs its duties to enable service delivery, thanks to the management team behind it. The activities offered by the Youth Coalition are easily accessible to all through the internet and its opportunities are free and available for free for all its members.

7. Any message for the people who have not yet joined the coalition?
I urge all the young people passionate about road safety and sustainable mobility to come and join the Global Youth Coalition for it offers limitless opportunities for all to explore in the field. Come let’s come together to save lives on the world’s roads.