An Assessment of how Youth Empowerment Programmes have Influenced Availability of Jobs to the Youth in Nairobi County – Kenya

Abstract

The Kenyan Youth today face a myriad of socio-economic hurdles. The introduction of Youth Empowerment Programmes (YEP) by the Government of Kenya was a move to satisfy the urgency of endowing youth to join in and nurture their development approaches. Empowerment of youths through provision of financial resources and involvement in productive business ventures following skills acquisition was the intention of YEP in an attempt to involve young people in nation building and enhancement of their living standards. The study sought to assess how Youth Empowerment Programmes have influenced availability of jobs to the youth in Nairobi County, Kenya. Youths between the ages of 18-35 were targeted since they were beneficiaries from the fund. The study applied the Entrepreneurship innovation theory, the theory of youth empowerment, and the youth livelihood and employment theory of change. Contingent information was captured via evaluation of suitable literature on the challenges to the effectiveness of YEDF. Primary collection of information was done using questionnaires, interviews, and observations. The sample population was 120 respondents. Quantitative and qualitative methods were utilized in analysis of collected information. The study established that young people in Nairobi County have obtained loans from the Youth Enterprise Development Fund and embarked on starting their own business. They have been empowered economically and their businesses have grown hence the creation of self-employment and a reduction in unemployment. The study recommends youth training to enable them to acquire appropriate skills, data, and expertise in various and different domains.