Search for Common Ground (SFCG) Organization in partnership with the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports is stepping up advocacy efforts for youths to register groups to benefit from funds from the government and Non-Government Organizations.
The program targets hard-to-reach youths in the slum areas. It is being undertaken in Tudor Moroto, Bangladesh, Kadzandani and Mwakirunge.
The Organization has partnered with the Department of Youths under the Youth Talk program to amplify the voices of the youths in society.
On Friday, it held a one-day sensitization meeting for young mothers and Youths in Tudor that incorporated Equity Bank and TechnoServe Organization through its Blue Biz Program.
‘We realized that there was a great challenge in Tudor. We sought the help of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Creative Economy not just to elevate a single family or a single home where we mapped our Youths Talk cohort one participant but we help the whole community,’ said Derrick Ouko, SFCG Communi
cation Officer
‘I think it is a great deal, it is something that will continue and be sustainable if we strengthen the social safety nets of this locale,’ he added.
SFCG Program Officer Wahida Mohammad said the program has a couple of trainings including public speaking, journalism and peace building.
The young women and youths were trained on how they can register and access funds. The youths are empowered to break the cycle of poverty.
‘Drug abuse is very rampant among the youths as young as eight years, early sex is worrying because it is below eight years, some are molested but it’s being covered up. They later end in drug abuse due to stress,’ said Mohammad.
Maryaam Suleiman, a Moroto Slum Youth Champion and a beneficiary of the program says she has empowered the youths and raised the status of the slum. She can now conduct health and mental health talks.
‘Most of the youths in our slum have mental health issues but they don’t know. When we conduct the mental health talks we support them through co
unselling. We also do advocacy,’ she stated.
Mombasa County Director of Youth Affairs Richard Rwoti said they gave the youths guidelines on how they can form groups and get government funds like the Uwezo Fund, Women Enterprise Fund, Youth Enterprise Fund and National Government Affirmative Action Fund.
‘They will get assistance not only from the government but other organizations too that fund groups,’ stated Rwoti.
He noted that there is an increase in the absorption of funds and many groups are applying for government fund. The youths before they are given fund are trained on entrepreneurship.
‘The businesses that the youths have started are thriving some bought TukTuks, film production, salon and other income generating ventures,’ said Rwoti.
On her part, Wangari Theuri, Senior Program Manager of BlueBiz Program said they aims to create a pathway to dignified and fulfilling work for young people in the coastal region with the objective of alleviating poverty.
They mainly focus blue economy value cha
in like sea weed, plastic recycling, aquaculture and mariculture.
Over the past one year, with support from other partners the program has supported more than 800 young people in the region to access entrepreneurship skills, access to finance and access to leadership
‘We aim to amplify our support to the young people by again bringing on board more than 3000 in the next quarter,’ said Theuri.
She added that they have a youth advisory council that supports them to structure their program to incorporate the challenges of the young people to tailor services that support them to increase their yields, revenue and create jobs.
‘What is key for us is that you have to be a young person with a focus on young women in the community because we believe they are the one who are most affected by the high poverty level in the society,’ said Theuri.
The program has faced a setback of not attracting financial disadvantaged young women. ‘I would encourage them to apply for these opportunities because it is there for thei
r taking,’ she advised.
Source: Kenya News Agency