In Part One of this insightful series, we recapped Sandra’s legal journey: from her early days in civil society, and how her journey of learning and mentorship laid the foundation for purposeful civic education, culminating in the Teens’ Guide to the Constitution of Kenya.  

The second bit of this two-part series shifts our focus from the foundations to the actionable steps Sandra is taking toward achieving her broader vision: creating spaces where teenagers not only learn their civic rights but also find guidance, voice, and recognition in every facet of their lives. 

First, she gives insights into Teendom Africa, a platform by teens for needs, including the knowledge gaps it addresses. Finally, she shares with us her latest brainchild, the Teendom Africa Awards, as she redefines what it means to prepare the next generation for leadership, not just in law and governance, but to lead as a holistic citizen.

Teendom Africa: Empowering Teenage Voices

Sandra’s work with the Teens’ Guide to the Constitution of Kenya empowers teens to receive legal and constitutional education. However, in her work on this front, she established that teenagers face other social and economic challenges, such as bullying in school and dysfunctional family issues, peer pressure, and self-image challenges that stress them out, limiting their potential. Sandra has also encountered parents requesting her to speak to their children. 

Therefore, she deemed it necessary to create a platform that provides answers, guidance, or support to some of the challenges teens face in their everyday lives, while harmonizing these proposed solutions with legal and constitutional information. That marked the birth of Teendom Africa.

“If it’s issues to do with reproductive health, family, relationships, or culture, how do we look at these from a legal and constitutional perspective so that we’re looking forward and raising whole individuals?”

According to Sandra, Teendom Africa is a social enterprise created to promote young people’s welfare and help them develop into holistic human beings while building a community of informed and active citizens. Through Teendom Africa, she hopes to mold the next generation of empowered teens who are self-aware of their strengths, bold enough to take a stand and speak about their passion, and take actionable steps to initiate desirable change for themselves and their community.

She highlights that, within the Kenyan context, Gen Z is the first bold generation compared to the millennials and boomers, because they have had greater access to information and education at a tender age. That exposure makes it easier for them to voice their issues and, beyond that, ensure that their voices are heard. 

“So if we add legal and constitutional education to the information in the education/information pipeline, we’ll be on the right track. Legal and constitutional education is crucial because it contributes to meaningful engagement. As a result, we’ll have young people who are transitioning into adulthood not just with social and academic skills, but also with civic skills that will make an impact wherever it is that they choose to plant themselves.”

Times have changed in that while growing up as millennials, we were often ‘seen not heard’, the grown-ups today are more open to learning positive lessons from the younger generation, based on how they conduct themselves.

Sandra admits to being enamored by the courage and boldness that today’s teenager showcases. She also adds that another endearing characteristic in the younger generation is their authenticity. “They’re very authentic in who they are, what they want, and what they envision, and they are able to mobilize amongst themselves to get what they want.”

TEENDOM AFRICA AWARDS

The inspiration behind the Teendom Awards is simple: Teenagers are doing amazing things out here, but are not getting the recognition and support they need. 

“ If you look through social media, you’ll see that they have so many things going for them, and they’re doing well. For instance, I’ve seen teenagers set up and run businesses. Others are very well-read: They know precisely what they want to achieve in life, and have taken steps to achieve those goals. They’re already demonstrating that they have so much in them, and much more to give, and so much to do.”

Third, they’re neither ashamed nor shy about their talents. “They’re singing, dancing, creating, and trying different things, all of which are meant, at a very rudimentary level, to get their voices heard. However, beyond being heard, we have a unique opportunity as a society to nurture these gifts and talents in the younger ones, because they have more opportunities, and professions are more diverse today than they were when most of us were growing up.” 

Sandra also highlights the grace of youth. “Most millennials and the older generations have matured in their ways (habits, thinking), which is good because that maturity is what defines you as an adult. However, the downside to this is that most of them have matured in negative aspects as well, such as ethnicity and corruption. So, bringing the topic of change in such circles generates immense resistance, making societal transformation almost impossible.”

So, when it comes to pursuing the change that will realize the bigger ideals we hope for as a society, it’s much easier to present the upcoming generations with a different script and attempt to positively influence their attitudes, worldviews and value systems. 

The Teendom Awards were launched on September 5, 2025, with a nomination phase that will run until September 30. The Awards will spotlight ten categories under the theme of excellence, recognizing that we have many teens with diverse strengths. 

 Below is an overview of each category. 

1. 1. Academic Excellence Award: Spotlights brilliance in the classroom in any curriculum. 
   2. Leadership Excellence Award: For those who lead with courage, purpose, and vision (School prefect, club chair, community organizer)
   3. Innovation Award: For the trailblazer solving tomorrow’s challenges. 

• Teenpreneur Award: The bold builders who are turning ideas into impact. 

• Creative Arts Award: For the dreamers, storytellers, and visionaries. Features visual arts, performing arts, and literary arts as categories. 

• Sports and Wellness Award: For champions of health, balance, and discipline. 

• Advocate for Change Award: For the teens using their voices to advocate for a better world (human rights, equality, social justice).

• Environmental Champion Award: For the young people focused on carbon credits and combating climate change. 

• Digital Impact Award: For the digital voices making a real-world impact. 

• Teen of the Year Award: For the ultimate change-maker who exemplifies excellence across different fields. (at least three of the above categories).

You can read more about them here.

Projected Impact of the Teendom Africa Awards

The finalists of the awards will have the opportunity to be part of the Teendom Africa network of young people. Similarly, the category winners will progress to a 12-month personal development journey, which will include curated sessions on mental health, academic progression, and more. The sessions are curated based on the needs of the category winner at a particular time, and the long-term goal envisioned for them as whole and active citizens. 

“Beyond celebrating them, we’ll be pouring into their lives in a meaningful way so that by developing them, we have a lasting impact on their communities.”

Conclusion:

Mentorship through role modeling is the constant thread running through Sandra Ochola’s legal career. Thus, Sandra’s hope for Teendom Africa’s legacy is that it will have positively impacted the lives of at least 100 people holistically, and by investing in them, they too can positively impact their communities.

So, for the young lawyers who have a passion for serving the community, or those who would like to venture into the social enterprise space but are unsure how, Sandra has a word of encouragement for you.

“Start by finding yourself and live out that person the best way you can, because if you don’t know who you are, you’ll be operating superficially, and it will be tough for you to lead yourself and be your best version with everyone and everything else. Especially in your early 20s, find what it is that grounds you – your identity, values, relationships and purpose. 

For Sandra, her grounding factor is her faith and relationship with God. Besides keeping her grounded, it also helps her navigate the world with a different mindset and outlook. 

Lastly, Sandra invites any lawyer who is already in practice but is passionate about other aspects of life, such as teen participation or civic education, to join her at Teendom Africa. Come and find fulfillment in shaping the next generation of leaders and citizens, using your skills, creativity, and authenticity.