Introduction
The study curriculum authorized by the government of Kenya allows young people to take a short break before joining both high school and college. This break compels the youth to take months away from the strict school life which contributes to how one’s life is shaped before moving to the next stage. Youth in Isiolo County have previously engaged in harmful habits during these short and long breaks like using drugs, criminal activities during the short breaks.
Parents opt to send these young people to short course training which involve basic training in computer packages. The training in most cases is offered by few schools which are usually private institutions with few computers and expensive school fee. This has caused the poor to remain at home while those who can afford the computer packages to proceed with school. With free time and less to do, most teenage girls suffer cases of early pregnancies.
Communities in Isiolo County being among the marginalized groups in Kenya have also had the need to empower the young leaders through talent and business support to engage in County issues and become active citizens who not only participate in selection of leaders but also can become leaders at both the local and national level. This challenge of having a platform that brings together youth to have discussions on governance and leadership and the need to empower the youth in Isiolo led to the establishment of the Isiolo Youth Innovation Centre (IYIC).
Isiolo Youth innovation Centre is an initiative of the County Government of Isiolo, Kenya School of Government and UNDP. The idea was birthed in 2017 when Isiolo County Governor, approached UNDP for support in capacity building initiatives under the devolution programme. Discussions with KSG pointed to a gap in youth capacity building since World Bank and USAID Ahadi were undertaking training programmes in a wide-range of courses targeting the County Governments’ executives and assemblies.
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