Young.
Ethiopian.
Leading.
Young people are not the problem. They are the answer. CAYO is a youth-led civil society organization, headquartered in Jigjiga and mandated to work in every region of Ethiopia.
Founded in Jigjiga in 2023. 13,000+ young people in our network today.
Young women and men from many sectors founded CAYO, and in 2024 it was registered as an Ethiopian civil society organization. We work across the Somali Region today. Our mandate covers every regional state and the city administrations of Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa, and young people decide what we do.
young people in the Fursadaha Dhalinyarada opportunity network
CAYO, 2026
active volunteers in Jigjiga, running the campaign “Let’s Normalize Volunteerism”
CAYO, 2026
funding and delivery partners, across projects in 2025/26
CAYO, 2026
thematic areas, from learning and livelihoods to peace, health, rights and climate
CAYO
From a first course to a seat at the table: one pathway through our programmes.
Our programmes are designed to connect. A young person can start with learning, step into leadership, build a livelihood and help keep the peace. This is the route we are building, and we will follow each person along it with their consent.
- Ilays LearningMother-tongue literacy, digital skills and certified short courses for young people out of school.
- Hiigsi LeadersYouth councils, women’s dialogue circles and leadership fellowships.
- Ganacsi Youth FundBusiness bootcamps, seed grants and Sharia-compliant finance for young entrepreneurs.
- Nabad GenerationYouth peace committees working alongside elders on local disputes.
Our programmes, each designed with young people.
Each one grows from work already under way in the Somali Region and is built to be handed over to the young people it serves.
Ilays Learning
Literacy, digital skills and certified courses for young people out of school.
Read moreGanacsi Youth Fund
Business training, seed grants and Sharia-compliant finance.
Read moreNabad Generation
Youth peace committees working alongside elders.
Read moreHiigsi Leaders
Youth councils, dialogue circles and leadership fellowships.
Read moreFursadaha Digital
Digital skills, online safety and youth-run media.
Read more
Safe Communities
Community-led prevention of violence against women and girls.
Read moreCaafimaad Youth
Youth-friendly health information and peer counselling.
Read more
Civil Society and Protection
Stronger local organizations, especially those led by youth and women.
Read moreGreen Horn Initiative
Rangeland restoration, early warning and a corps of youth responders.
Read moreRooted in Jigjiga. Mandated in every region.
Our headquarters and our deepest work are in Jigjiga and the Somali Region. We open work in each new region together with a local youth-led partner.
Next, 2027–2028
New hubs, neighbouring regions and a liaison presence
Later
Hubs in the south of the Somali Region
Youth in the Lead: our goals, and where we stand today.
Our strategy for 2026–2030 is to grow from a youth movement in the Somali Region into a national platform for youth leadership, one region and one local youth-led partner at a time.
Today’s figures: CAYO, 2026.
Ways in, whatever your role.
Funders, partners, young people and journalists each have a direct route to us.
Funders, UN agencies, INGOs and government
Partner with us
Back a youth-led organization with deep community roots and a clear plan to 2030. We seek multi-year partnerships.
Young people in Jigjiga
CAYO Volunteers
Join 400+ active volunteers and the campaign “Let’s Normalize Volunteerism”.
Young people in the Somali Region
Join the Fursadaha Dhalinyarada network
Opportunities, mentorship and connections, shared on Telegram with 13,000+ members.
Young people aged 18 and over
Youth Advisory Council
We are setting up a council that gives young people a recorded say on each strategic plan.
Journalists and researchers
Media
Facts, boilerplates and brand assets for your coverage.
Anyone
Contact us
Write to info@cayoeth.org or call +251 961 629 292.
Registered, accountable and open to scrutiny.
CAYO is registered under CSO Proclamation No. 1113/2019. Our standards, the policies that hold them in place and the way anyone can raise a concern with us are published.
CSO registry number, Proclamation No. 1113/2019.
Our funders and partners.
Funders, platforms and local organizations have worked with us on 5 projects in 2025/26. We are moving towards funding, coaching and amplifying young people’s own organizations.
Partner logos appear here once each partner has agreed to their use.
Agence Française de Développement
Funds our civil society work with the Civil Society Resource Center.
Civil Society Resource Center
Co-implements Empowering Civil Society Groups for Social Justice and Resilience.
International Solidarity Foundation
Partner in community-led prevention of violence against women and girls.
U-Report Ethiopia
Partner in the Peace Ambassadors Fellowship.
Ethio Telecom
Partner in Back2School with CAYO.
Ugaaso Women Space Org
Partner in Back2School with CAYO.
Back a programme. Open a region. Build it with young people.
Partnerships work best when they are designed with young people from the first meeting.