Future Pillars Organization · Mombasa, Kenya
Every Leader Starts With Someone Who Shows Up
Future Pillars guides young people in Mombasa toward leadership through the Guiding the Lights Leadership Academy — sustained, hands-on mentorship from first conversation to graduation, and beyond.
Reach figures sourced from independent press coverage (The Eastleigh Voice, Dec 2023) and the organization's own programme records. Also reached: 160 students at Mvita High School and 210 at Mbaraki High School.
Guiding young leaders through sustained, hands-on mentorship
Future Pillars Organization exists to guide young people in Mombasa toward leadership through sustained, hands-on mentorship — pairing them with mentors who walk alongside them from first conversation to graduation and beyond.
Read Our StoryOur Pillar: Guiding the Lights
Future Pillars Organization has run many programmes since 2022 — school mentorship, GBV awareness, civic engagement, digital literacy, career guidance. Today, our work is centered on one flagship: the Guiding the Lights Leadership Academy (GTLLA) — now a fully digital programme, having started as a hybrid one.
Guiding the Lights Leadership Academy
GTLLA is our only ongoing programme. Cohort 1 (hybrid: in-person and online) graduated 10 leaders in January 2025. Cohort 2 — now fully digital — has 20 mentees enrolled and is set to graduate in December 2026.
Cohort 1 Graduates
Cohort 2 Enrolled
Light Bearers Alumni Council
A new representative leadership body to unite, serve, and amplify the impact of Light Bearers (GTLLA) alumni — moving graduates from being trained as leaders to becoming builders of leaders. The Council will represent alumni voices, coordinate mentorship and initiatives, support future GTLLA cohorts, and build partnerships that benefit its members. A swearing-in ceremony is upcoming.
Follow UpdatesLatest Updates & Media
Independent press coverage and milestones from our own record, most recent first.
Graduation Ceremony
Guiding the Lights Leadership Academy graduates its cohort
Held at Waterfront Banquet, Mombasa, with the Speaker of the County Assembly, the Mombasa Women Representative, and the Old Town MCA in attendance.
Voice
"How talk to students birthed Mombasa motivation group Future Pillars"
Feature on the organization's origin story, with testimonials from mentors, teachers, and parents. The Eastleigh Voice is a modern Kenyan media and information network providing unbiased news, analysis, opinions, and local storytelling.
Read on The Eastleigh Voice →Feature
Featured on DW (Deutsche Welle) Swahili
"Haytham Isse kijana anaetoa elimu kwa vijana wenzake" — by journalist Fathiya Omar, on Haytam's work through Future Pillars.
Read on DW →Voice
"Haytham Isse: Building pillars of hope in Mombasa's education landscape"
Profile covering the org's founding and reach across Allidina Visram, Moi Forces Academy, Mvita High School, and Mbaraki High School.
Read on The Eastleigh Voice →Fund Beneficiary
Became a beneficiary of the National Government Affirmative Action Fund
Facilitated through the Mombasa County Women Representative's office.
Release
"Future Pillars Official Documentary — Allidina Visram Mentorship Program"
Released on YouTube, documenting the mentorship programme's growth at Allidina Visram High School.
Watch on YouTube →Recognition
"Best Community Based Organization Leader 2023"
Awarded at the Mombasa Youth Awards, hosted by Vijana Network.
Interviews
Radio features on youth leadership
Interviews with Blue Radio and Sauti ya Pwani on youth advocacy, leadership, and involvement in politics and governance.
One Year In, and Growing
In September 2023, Future Pillars marked its first anniversary and opened a new office in Old Town, Mombasa — a physical home for an organization that had, by then, grown to dozens of active volunteers.
Our Partners
Future Pillars Organization works alongside county leadership, peer organizations, and international partners to extend our reach.
Our Story
Future Pillars Organization was founded in Mombasa, Kenya, officially registered on 19 September 2022. It grew out of a recognition that too many young people and women in coastal communities were disconnected from the civic and governance structures meant to serve them. What began as a small mentorship effort has grown into a community-based organization — marking its first anniversary in September 2023 with the opening of a permanent office in Old Town, Mombasa.
Founder & Executive Director
Haytam Isse
Executive Director
Haytam made Mombasa his home and, in September 2022, brought together a small group of volunteers for a first meeting that became Future Pillars Organization — driven by a conviction that Mombasa's young people needed more than good intentions; they needed mentors who would keep showing up. That first mentorship session at Allidina Visram High School has since grown into the Guiding the Lights Leadership Academy and national recognition: Haytam was named among Kenya's 100 Most Influential Muslims by The Muslim Media in 2023, and profiled by DW Swahili in 2024 for his work in youth education. He continues to lead Future Pillars' flagship programme today.
Mission & Vision
Mission: To guide young people in Mombasa toward leadership through sustained, hands-on mentorship — pairing them with mentors who walk alongside them from first conversation to graduation and beyond.
Vision: A Mombasa where every young person has walked through a door like Guiding the Lights — mentored, equipped, and ready to lead in their school, their ward, and their community.
Core Values
Mentorship First
Every programme we run comes back to one thing: a mentor showing up, consistently, for a young person.
Community Ownership
Programmes are built with schools, youth councils, and local leaders — not delivered to them from outside.
Consistency
We track our work session by session — because showing up once doesn't change a life; showing up every week does.
Partnership
From county government to grassroots youth groups, our impact multiplies through who we work alongside.
Integrity
We do what we say, and account for what we do.
Growth
From one mentorship session in 2022 to a full leadership academy today — we keep building on what works.
Our Team
Haytam Isse
Elye Abass
Dr. Ibrahim Bulushi
Also CEO, WAKF Commission of Kenya.
Mrs. Swalha Omar Athman
Mr. Phinosy Kaberia
Zubeda Maloba
Future Pillars has grown to 40 certified volunteer mentors since November 2023 — the leadership above guides that growing team.
Our Journey
Future Pillars Organization founded
Officially registered in Mombasa, Kenya, following an initial organizing meeting later that month.
First GBV response & awareness training
Ran a sexual and gender-based violence awareness and training programme for members and volunteers; responded to the organization's first GBV case within weeks of founding.
Mkomani Youth Council launched; Uzalendo Afrika partnership begins
Launched the Mkomani Youth Council (20 council members, 200 community members in attendance) and began a sustained partnership with Uzalendo Afrika Initiative — the first of many joint events through the year.
Mentorship programme begins at Allidina Visram
First mentorship session held with 40 students, expanding to the whole school by May 2023 after the success of the Form 1C pilot class.
"Best Community Based Organization Leader 2023"
Awarded at the Mombasa Youth Awards, hosted by Vijana Network.
Kiongozi Mwadilifu certificate
Awarded a certificate by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and Uzalendo Afrika after completing Kiongozi Mwadilifu, a programme on politics, governance, and transformative leadership.
First anniversary & new office opens
Celebrated one year as an organization and opened a permanent office in Old Town, Mombasa.
National Government Affirmative Action Fund
Became a beneficiary of the Fund, facilitated through the Mombasa County Women Representative's office.
40 volunteer mentors certified; scholarship MOU signed
Completed a rigorous selection process and 4-day training (Alliance Française, led by Dr. Othman Mujahid), certifying 40 volunteer mentors. Signed an MOU with Future in Turkey for full and partial student scholarships. Programme also expanded into Kilifi County (Soyo Soyo Primary School).
ED named among 100 Most Influential Muslims in Kenya
Haytam Isse recognized by The Muslim Media.
"Let's Voice" podcast partnership
Partnered with Sheela Rishad, ED of Let's Voice, to feature Future Pillars members as podcast guests.
Youth Enterprise Development Fund sensitization
Participated in a YEDF business-training and sensitization forum.
Angaza Center partnership begins
Joseph Mwaura of Angaza Center donated laptops and pledged more toward a computer lab at Eman Girls.
Free tuition partnership for Form 3 & Form 4 students
Announced with Tijara Tuition Center and Shariff Nassir Foundation.
"Here For You 24hr" mental health session
One-off collaboration hosting an online session on toxic workplaces and men's mental health.
Featured on DW Swahili
Profiled by Deutsche Welle's Swahili service in a feature on youth education, by journalist Fathiya Omar.
Second consecutive Best CBO win
Winner at the Mombasa Youth Awards (3rd edition), hosted by Vijana Network.
Guiding the Lights Leadership Academy launches
A new flagship leadership programme, combining in-person and online sessions.
An alumna launches her own initiative
Former Head of Career Department Gheida Abdalla launches Girls I Save Afrika (later rebranded G Save Africa) — a proud offshoot of Future Pillars' mentorship work, and now a partner organization in its own right.
Guiding the Lights: Cohort 1 graduates
10 leaders graduate at Waterfront Banquet, Mombasa, with county leadership in attendance.
Africa Blockchain Festival, Kigali
ED Haytam Isse attended as a participant.
Guiding the Lights: Cohort 2 to graduate
20 mentees enrolled in the now fully-digital programme, set to graduate December 2026.
Formation of the Light Bearers Alumni Council
A representative leadership body for GTLLA alumni, with a swearing-in ceremony upcoming.
Projects & Programmes
Guiding the Lights (GTLLA) is our only ongoing programme today. Everything else below is real work we're proud of, and the foundation it was built on.
Guiding the Lights Leadership Academy
Our only ongoing programme. Cohort 1 (hybrid) graduated 10 leaders in January 2025; Cohort 2 (now fully digital) has 20 mentees enrolled, set to graduate December 2026.
High School Mentorship Programmes
Mentorship that reached 1,100+ students at Allidina Visram, 360 at Moi Forces Academy, 160 at Mvita High School, and 210 at Mbaraki High School — plus Tudor Day, Eman Girls, Khamisi Secondary, and Soyo Soyo Primary (Kilifi). Concluded; no longer an active programme.
Mkomani Youth Council
Launched the Mkomani Youth Council in March 2023 — 20 council members (10 male, 10 female, 2 PWD), with 200 community members at the launch.
Gender-Based Violence Awareness & Counselling
Community sensitization and training on gender-based violence, including annual participation in the 16 Days of Activism against GBV, paired with counselling referrals for survivors.
Mombasa Jitambue
A talent-development initiative born inside Future Pillars and led by Zaahida Slim — "develop skills, connect, and transform lives."
Digital Literacy & ICT Hub
Computer literacy classes and an ICT hub at Eman Girls, plus a girls' robotics and computer-hardware training partnership with NTech in Girls I Save's early stages.
Career Guidance & Scholarships
Career day sessions across partner schools, plus tuition and scholarship partnerships including Shariff Nassir Foundation (Form 3 & Form 4 tuition) and Future in Turkey (full and partial scholarships).
Awards & Milestones
Back-to-back recognition as Mombasa's Best Community Based Organization, plus the milestones that earned it.
Best Community Based Organization Leader 2023
Awarded at the Mombasa Youth Awards, hosted by Vijana Network.
Kiongozi Mwadilifu Certificate
Awarded to the ED by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and Uzalendo Afrika, on completing a programme in politics, governance, and transformative leadership.
Pwani Women Awards 2023
Two team-linked recognitions: Rising Star (Gheida Abdalla, then Head of Career Department) and Women in Education (Elye Abass, Board Member).
100 Most Influential Muslims in Kenya
Haytam Isse named to the list by The Muslim Media.
Best CBO Award (second consecutive year)
Winner at the Mombasa Youth Awards, 3rd edition, hosted by Vijana Network — same awarding body as 2023.
Volunteer Leadership Skills Certification
40 volunteer mentors certified after a 4-day training at Alliance Française, led by Dr. Othman Mujahid.
Featured on DW Swahili
Profiled by Deutsche Welle's Swahili service — see the Updates section for the full link.
Get Involved
Whether you have time, a network, or resources to share — there's a place for you at Future Pillars.
Volunteer
Join as a mentor with the Guiding the Lights Leadership Academy, our current ongoing programme.
Get in touch →Partner With Us
NGOs, CBOs, and county agencies — let's collaborate on programming and reach.
Start a conversation →Donate
Reach out to us directly and we'll share the best way to give — every contribution goes straight into mentoring the next cohort.
Ask about giving →Stay Updated
Let's Talk
Reach us directly, or use the form to send a message.
Address
Sir Mbarak Hinawy Rd, Mombasa, Kenya