Nyala Labs started with young people who wanted a hands-on tech community—learn by shipping, welcome newcomers, and grow together instead of building in isolation. Early bids for official recognition did not succeed; we treated that as feedback, tightened how we work, and kept running open workshops and meetups until participation told the story for us. Today we are a recognised youth society under the Ministry of Youth and Sports: a home for youth who care about craft, collaboration, and lifting the next person up.