NGAZI Youth Empowerment Project
Overview
“Ngazi” is a Kiswahili word for Ladder. The overall goal of the Ngazi Youth Empowerment Programme was to improve the young people’s abilities to become active participants of the economic and social spheres in their communities. The programme aimed to train 1000 youth between the ages of 18-29 in Busia and Trans Nzoia counties in Kenya; and improve their possibilities for gaining productive employment and entrepreneurship opportunities by equipping them with vocational skills, entrepreneurship, life and ICT Skills. The program also aimed at improving local training institutions’ capacities to support youth participation in social and economic development. A total of six vocational training institutions, three in Busia and three in TransNzoia participated in the programme.
Deliverables
Relevant Data of the programme eg. No. of students trained, No. of graduates, referrals etc.
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Number of young women recruited and enrolled into the programme: 646
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Number of young women equipped with market-driven vocational, life and entrepreneurship skills: 646
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81.29% (526) of the youth participants were working and earning up to USD 200 a month;
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94.7% (612) of the youth participants with improved livelihoods because of participating in the programme;
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Developed training curriculum on 21 vocational and digital skills targeting youth at different levels of transition from education to work
Methods used to achieve the goals of the programme/processes used.
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Development of market-driven training curriculum comprising vocational and digital skills training curriculum for young people at different levels of transition from education to employment
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Training in vocational skills, digital literacy, life- and delivery of training
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Linking the young people trained to internship opportunities
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Securing Job placements/entrepreneurship opportunities for the young people trained
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Building the capacity vocational training institutions to support youth participation in social and economic development
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Advocacy for youth friendly policies and regulations at county level
Results and Impact of the programme.
At the end of the programme, the young people participating in the programme gained: increased vocational, digital and entrepreneurship skills and mentorship; increased household income/economic stability as a result of being linked/connected to digital jobs; increased awareness on Covid-19 safety guidelines for themselves and their families; reduced anxiety, economic tensions and gender based violence resulting from increased income for the young women participating in the programme.
