The necessity to found YIKE was born out of the recognition of the problems at the root of youth employment and development. In 2003 Nynke Nauta and Pamela Wesonga, YIKE’s current director, thoroughly researched the needs of groups of youth in the slums of Nairobi’s Eastlands area. Their research pointed out that groups on average did not get constant and reliable support. The support they had been granted was often unpredictable and not directed towards their income generating projects. YIKE was founded to fill this gap. In its three years of existence YIKE has achieved to create understanding and trust with youth from the under-privileged areas as well as major funds/institution that deal with youth.