Tana River’s Innovation and Youth Empowerment Centre builds youth capacity to meaningfully engage in community development
Youth unemployment in Tana River County is aggravated by low involvement in business, fisheries and agriculture, low literacy levels and inappropriate skills to utilize the existing opportunities. The negative attitude of youth in the County towards existing vocational training centres and the lack of role models to provide mentorship led them to shy away from accessing them for the needed skills to sustainably earn a livelihood.
The County has established the Centre for Innovation and Youth Empowerment to enhance the capacity of the youth to engage in community development. So far, over 1,400 youths have been trained in skills such as leadership and mentorship, community peace and cohesion, smart agriculture, content writing, digital marketing, transcription, computer literacy, entrepreneurship, hospitality and catering, fashion design and garment making and go-blue skills. Some youths have secured elective posts, County Government jobs and marine jobs, while others have established businesses. The Centre also promotes sports. The youth were involved in developing the Tana River County Youth Policy and have become well-informed and now actively participate in decision-making forums. There has been a reduction in drugs and substance abuse.
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