The youth form an important and integral part of our population. Data from the 2019 National Population Census reveal that 75 per cent of Kenya’s population is youthful, that’s between 18 to 35 years of age.
Thus, it’s a special and majority group of the population that cannot be ignored if the country is to move forward. This group need jobs, education, skills and to be nurtured in order for the country to grow economically.
Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows that the unemployment rate in Kenya is forecast to 6.61 per cent this year, which is 1.8million people with the total labour force in Kenya forecasted to 26.56m in 2024
It’s in this regard that the Government came up with Bottom- Up Transformation Agenda (BETA) which prioritizes issues affecting this fragile population.
In the digital space, the Government has come up with plan to construct 1,450 digital hubs to enhance citizen digital literacy training, digital jobs, and public access to government/county services.
The hubs will be centralized locations where people can access technology resources and the internet. The hubs are meant to provide access to tools and resources that support innovation, education, farming (agriculture), healthcare and education together with access to government and county services.
By providing access to technology, resources, and information, digital hubs can help drive innovation, boost employment, and improve livelihoods throughout Kenya. By implementing this strategy, the country is well-positioned to become a hub for innovation and growth in the region, spurring economic development.
Talanta Hela Digital Hub is another government-funded initiative that aims to identify, recruit, nurture, and monetize talents in both sports and the creative industry among the youth. The hub was launched in October 2023 by the then Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports, Ababu Namwamba.
The hub is located in Nairobi and it is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including a sports arena, a recording studio, and a film studio. The hub also provides a variety of training and mentorship programs to help young talents develop their skills and careers. It’s part of the Government’s bottom-up economic transformation agenda and help create jobs and boost economic growth.
The Government is also constructing what will be known as Talanta stadium and other stadia, all these in a bid to revamp sports for which the country. All these are meant to ensure that this young and energetic population is involved in spurring up development on the country job creation- by ensuring that their talents are utilized.
Hidden away in a low income estate in Naivasha, a youth centre in Naivasha is changing lives of many youths in the area, literally. The centre, the only one in Naivasha Sub-County continues to empower, nurture skills and instill key mentorship, creative and entrepreneurship skills to the youths for years.
It was established the by the Young Men`s Christian Association (YMCA), an Non-Governmental Organization and has been a beacon of hope to thousands of young people who are facing a myriad of challenges ranging from drug and substance abuse, early pregnancy, unemployment, lack of mentorship and immorality.
The organisation has been changing the lives of young people in the area, and the impact is visible. The centre has established key sporting activities including Basketball, Table Tennis, Darts, Football, Karate among others which have given to youths exposed to drugs and other vices to turn around their lives and escape these ills and change their lives.
The Naivasha branch Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) Coordinator Mr. Andrew Opiyo says the centre has played a key role in rehabilitating youths from the area who are battling drug addiction and other issues and ensure that their lives are restored.
Opiyo says they not only get the youth off the drugs, but are also give them life skills and their talents are also nurtured so that they can live off it.
“The youth only need to be understood, guided and mentored and they have the potential to achieve their dreams and aspirations,” he says.
The youth at this centre are fostered to acquire various skills such as; artisans, artistes urban farming and games such as basketball.
Some of the youth we interviewed are full of praise for the centre saying it has changed their lives and helped them to develop their talents.
But the centre is facing a myriad of challenges among them inadequate funding and lack of enough facilities in the area and in the country.
“For instance, there’s no facilities for artists and artistes such as studio, proper stadium in Naivasha to help raise talents of upcoming sportsmen and women,” Opiyo laments. He is now appealing to the two governments, donors to come to their aid.
Opiyo says his vision is to build the facility into a centre of excellence to change lives of the youth in Naivasha and beyond.
By Mabel Keya – Shikuku
