Vihiga: The Government has urged young people in Vihiga County to take advantage of the various youth empowerment programmes established to promote entrepreneurship, skills development, employment, and economic growth.
According to Kenya News Agency, Vihiga County Director for Youth Affairs, Andrew Katito Maina, emphasized the government’s continued investment in policies and programmes aimed at equipping young people with practical skills, affordable financing, and business opportunities to enable them to become self-reliant. Director Maina highlighted the Kenya National Youth Development Policy as a blueprint for youth empowerment, guiding the design and implementation of programmes that address the needs and aspirations of young people.
Maina noted the establishment of a dedicated State Department for Youth Affairs and Creative Economy as evidence of the government’s commitment to addressing youth challenges. He stated that youth affairs are anchored in the Constitution of Kenya, obligating the government to create opportunities that support young people as they transition into adulthood, a period often characterized by unemployment and limited access to economic opportunities.
The director urged young entrepreneurs to register businesses and obtain certification under the Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO) programme, which reserves 30 percent of government procurement opportunities for youth, women, and persons with disabilities. Maina remarked that the digitization of government services has simplified access to opportunities, with business registration now available online and through Huduma Centres across the country.
He stated that the Ministry of Youth Affairs utilizes digital platforms, particularly WhatsApp groups, to disseminate information on scholarships, employment opportunities, entrepreneurship programmes, and government services targeting young people. Maina encouraged youth to take advantage of affirmative funds, including the Youth Enterprise Development Fund, Women Enterprise Fund, and Uwezo Fund, which provide affordable financing to those who may not qualify for commercial bank loans due to a lack of collateral.
Maina explained that the Youth Enterprise Development Fund, established in 2007, has evolved from supporting only youth groups to financing both registered groups and individual entrepreneurs aged between 1 and 34 years using flexible security requirements. He described the Uwezo Fund as a constituency-based revolving fund launched in 2014 to strengthen existing table banking initiatives and expand access to affordable credit for youth, women, and persons with disabilities.
Expressing concern over poor loan repayment, Maina revealed that over Sh133 million has been disbursed through the Uwezo Fund in Vihiga County since its inception, while only about Sh47 million has been recovered, leaving over Sh0 million outstanding. Timely loan repayment would enable the revolving fund to benefit more groups, and beneficiaries with good repayment records qualify for progressively higher financing of up to Sh500,000.
Turning to the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme, Maina described it as one of the government’s flagship youth empowerment initiatives funded by the World Bank to improve employability, expand business opportunities, and promote a savings culture among young people. He outlined the programme’s On-the-Job Experience (OJE) component, which attaches beneficiaries to experienced artisans and master craft persons in trades such as carpentry, masonry, plumbing, welding, mechanics, electrical installation, and beauty therapy for five months.
He said that before workplace placement, all participants undergo a 20-day Social Emotional Development (SED) training that equips them with workplace ethics, discipline, communication, and professional skills. Vihiga County targeted about 1,500 beneficiaries under the programme but successfully enrolled 1,140 youths, with more than 0 percent already placed in workshops across the county.
Maina also highlighted the programme’s Business Development Services component, implemented through the Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA), stating that approximately 1,900 young people in Vihiga have benefited from business grants issued in two installments of Sh25,000 each to establish or expand enterprises. He cited a beneficiary in Luanda town who successfully started a chapati business using the grant.
Maina emphasized that government empowerment programmes aim to address unemployment while reducing social challenges such as crime, drug and substance abuse, and political violence by equipping young people with marketable skills and sustainable sources of income. He advised the youth to separate politics from development programmes and focus on utilizing the opportunities available to improve livelihoods and contribute to national development.
He commended the collaboration between the National Government and the Vihiga County Government in implementing youth programmes and thanked residents for their continued cooperation. Maina reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring every young person has access to opportunities that promote innovation, entrepreneurship, skills development, and sustainable livelihoods.
