Youth Enterprise Development Funds Services and Youth Empowerment in Wajir County, Kenya

Abstract

Youth empowerment is vital for any nation. Most Kenyan youths aspire to get white-collar jobs after completing education in order to build self and the nation. To most, achieving their career goals after the 8-4-4 education system is the most critical thing hence they will not settle for anything less than what they have trained for. The Government of Kenya has made efforts over the years to empower the youth by coming up with policies that enable the youth to venture in education as well as create opportunity for income generating projects. It is on this basis that this study therefore sought to examine the effect of YEDF services on youth empowerment in Wajir County. The study objectives were: to assess the effect of YEDF entrepreneurial training on job creation, to examine the effect of YEDF provision of loans on income and to determine the effect of YEDF provision of market linkages on youth enterprise development in Wajir County. The study adopted social capital, theory of change and reform theory to assess relationship among the various factors that have been identified as important to the study problem. This study adopted the descriptive survey research design. The target population of the study consists of the 200 youth groups in Wajir County. This study used a closed and open – ended questionnaire to administer to the sample since time may be limited and information needed could easily be described in writing. The data was coded and entered on a Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software that aids in analysis of both qualitative and quantitative data. The researcher adopted content analysis to analyse the qualitative data based on the objectives. The descriptive statistics was used in analysing quantitative data. The researcher adopted content analysis to analyse the qualitative data based on the objectives. The descriptive statistics was used in analysing quantitative data. In analysing the relationship between variable (YEDF services and youth empowerment) the study used regression analysis. The study found out that attending the entrepreneurship training is important in improving business performance. The youths are trained on ways of improving and retaining customers. The researcher found out that most youths in the county have loan accessibility and have been accessing it for the past one year. The study found out that most youths have attended market linkages program. By attending the programs, they have learnt various ways of improving their business performance and sharing of business ideas. Finally, the study found out that there is a significant relationship between market linkages and youth’s empowerment in the County. The study recommended that the government and stakeholders to promote entrepreneur training, offering of loans and market linkages to equip youths with business skills. The study took a year to be completed, the researcher started in June 2017 and ended in July 2018.

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