Who is helping young people in Kenya to flourish?

My name is Emmanuel - I am a young person from Kenya, living in the informal settlement of Kawangware, Nairobi County. I wanted to write from my personal experiences about some of the challenges the youth in Kenya face – and about some of the existing initiatives that aim to mitigate these challenges.

Over the past decade, Kenya has made significant political and economic reforms that have contributed to sustained economic growth, social development and political stability gains (World Bank in Kenya). However, some key development challenges still remain. One challenge that affects young people is unemployment; within the 20-29 is age group unemployment is around 38.5%[1]. Females are more affected than males[2]. Overall, Kenya has a youthful population, with the latest data showing that 75.1% (35.7 million Kenyans) are below 35 years[3].

I have experienced what it is like to have done all you can at school and in higher education/vocational training and then still find it hard to find a job or purpose. Life has not always been easy for me. For example, I help to look after my five siblings as my mother has to work. I have heard of others struggling to find daily work or even turning to crime in order to survive.

Despite this, there are opportunities to progress. I have managed to finish school and complete further studies in the area I wanted to. I have completed a Certificate in Social Work and Development Studies and have now enrolled at diploma level. At the college, I achieved a coronet and the title of ambassador. This means that I represent the institution in different competitions (e.g. public speaking) and social platforms, giving me an edge and robust experience. I have also taken the completed volunteer work at the Kenya Red Cross Society, contributing to my community. This leads me to the present day; I am currently undertaking a traineeship with a research consultancy in Kenya that specialises in supporting humanitarian response, resilience programmes and social development - the areas I am interested in.

I have experienced that there are opportunities that, if harnessed, can help people in situations similar to me. These can be found with academic institutions, government and other organisations. There are programmes and projects that aim to provide youths with a platform to showcase their talents, abilities and skills. I have seen how such initiatives can motivate young people such as myself; both enabling us to contribute and providing opportunities for the future. There are even programmes that aim to help young people to generate an income.

Amongst many organisations and initiatives in Kenya, I wanted to write a bit about three that have stood out to me. I have either personally experienced these or become aware of them of due to family and friends;

• Kenya Youth Empowerment Opportunities Project (KYEOP)

• Kenya Red Cross Society

• Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO)

Kenya Youth Empowerment Opportunities Project (KYEOP) https://kyeop.go.ke/

The KYEOP is an initiative of the Government of Kenya that was established in 2016. The project has supported tens of thousands of young people in Kenya age 18-29, to start up a business or find a job. Assistance has included capital, credits, job skills internships and coaching to manage a business. The focus has been on young people whose highest level of education is high school or primary, have never been to school, are jobless or are working in a vulnerable job[4].

Stephen in Nairobi County (pictured right*) said to me; ‘’The youth fund has supported me with a tailoring machine and fabrics – I can now run my business in one of the biggest markets in Nairobi. This has meant that I have been able to support my family“.

Kenya Red Cross Society www.redcross.or.ke

The Kenya Red Cross Society was established in 1965. The society facilitates communities to respond to humanitarian emergencies. They also work with partners to implement innovative and community driven programmes, which transform lives and enhance resilience. One female volunteer I spoke with said: “I am a youth volunteer with the Kenya Red Cross Society. This has given me an opportunity to serve people in Kenya. I am able carry out activities that I believe in and help to alleviate human suffering, restore dignity and protect lives”.

Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) www.shofco.org

SHOFCO started in 2004 and is a grassroots movement that catalyses large-scale transformation in urban settlements. They provide critical services, community advocacy platforms, as well as education and leadership development for women and girls. In 2021 they reached over 2 million people in 17 urban slums through their work. In terms of specific impacts for young people, in 2021 SHOFCO placed almost 1000 youths from vulnerable locations into jobs and internships[5].

In Kenya, young people are the face of the future and the leaders of tomorrow. Platforms such as these three, and many others, work to support, build, encourage and motivate young people. Their work continues to give hope for a positive impact and help for youths to mitigate the challenges they face, as well as to increase their well-being and future potential.

I would welcome any comments you may have below about this blog post.

*Written permission was provided from the individuals in images and quotations.

www.links-res-eval.org

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmanuel-okasiba-161368238/

[1] Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNB) [2] Kiganda, Evans (2019) Women Unemployment and Rural Development in Kenya, www.researchgate.net (accessed 5 July 2022) [3]Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNB) 2019 Census [4]KYEOP https://kyeop.go.ke/ [5] SHOFCO www.shofco.org (accessed 12 July 2022)