Current Projects
Skills for Jobs
Youth unemployment rate in Kenya averages at 35%. Poor women and youth lack skills and access to capital and markets to grow a business and create jobs. Poor women and young people are enabled to grow their existing small businesses, raise their income, build a sustainable livelihood for themselves and their families, and create employment opportunities for others. The project directly targets 1,700 young Kenyans aged 18-35 years thereof 50% of women who face unemployment challenges as a result of inadequate training and skills mismatch. These beneficiaries are supported to receive basic technical skills. The overall objective of the project is to provide employability skills and support to access internship and job opportunities for 1,700 vulnerable and marginalized youth through Basic Skills Training in 5 vocational training centers. Specifically, the project aims at providing employment and economic opportunities for marginalized and vulnerable youth in Kisumu County through cooperation with the public and private sectors. It seeks to contribute to the realization of Kenya’s Vision 2030 and reduction of unemployment among the youth aged 18-35 years by equipping them with demand-driven skills and job matching services.
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
SMEs have been facing unprecedented income losses and uncertainties about their future because of business disruptions due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Most SMEs do not have financial reserves to meet expenses during emergencies. It also emerged that many Kenyans do not make savings with only 39% of Kenyans have set aside funds to manage emergencies that arise from loss of income. There is a need for support to access and adopt digital technologies to respond to the current pandemic situation and for the long-term transformation of the SME sector.
The main objective of the project is to enhance entrepreneurial competencies of existing small-sized enterprises business owners to retain existing jobs, increase employment creation prospects, improve income and well-being of poor people in rural and peri-urban areas of Nakuru, Turkana, Nairobi, Migori, and Kisumu Counties. The project will further enhance performance and business growth as well as increase chances of job opportunities from the Small-Sized Enterprises that will be supported.
Preventing Gender-Based Violence
The project empowers men and boys by providing safe spaces to strategically engage in mitigating violence against women. The project fosters collaboration between schools, the police, health and legal service providers and community leaders. It trained community and religious leaders as mentors in violence prevention.
Current Projects
Go Blue
The overall project goal is to contribute to coastal economic development in an inclusive, integrated, participatory, and sustainable manner that will strengthen inclusive and sustainable blue economy value chains through skill development and matching, and value chain development. The project will raise incomes and improve working conditions through cooperation with the business and the public sector thereby promoting economic growth by enhancing labour productivity for the reduction of poverty in Kwale, Tana-River, Mombasa, Kilifi and Lamu Counties. The Program objectives are to; Strengthen Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to industry links at the institutional level for county development; Develop an enabling environment for strong skills eco-system through technical assistance and capacity building for women and unemployed youth. The proposed program‘s expected outcome is improved employment rates and productivity of youth, young women and low-income youth in Kwale, Tana-River, Mombasa, Kilifi and Lamu. The direct project beneficiaries are youth, (vulnerable male and female) wishing to gain knowledge in the field of Mari-culture/aquaculture technologies.
Green Economy
Promoting integrated farming for increased food security and climate adaptation. The objective is to support innovative and resilient farming methods that will increase food security and contribute to the economic and livelihood development. The young people in particular who are more energized and creative have been given platforms through which they can develop farming structures and increase production.
Co-Convenor of the National Peace Actors Forum (PAF)
PAF is a coordination platform that steers the peace advocacy and policy agenda by bringing together various peace initiatives, organizations, sectors and leaders engaged and promoting peaceful resolution of Kenya’s diverse conflicts through dialogue, research and building of of synergy. The NMF was born out of the need for a collective, consistent and coordinated voice on an inclusive national dialogue.
Improving Community Safety
and Cohesion in Kisumu
The project aims at transforming violent conflicts among the youth at risk by fostering their integration into the community and reducing violent gang and extremist activities that undermine community safety. Enhance communication, collaboration and trust between the police, the county government, local politicians, the civil society and youth at risk of violence and crime.
Building Community Identity for Change
The project aims at promoting peaceful coexistence and the reintegration of youth at risk into the community through dialogues, sports, culture and income generating activities. The project promotes cross learning as a strategy to influence negative perceptions, and behaviour between communities and identity groups in Mombasa County. These include tailor made capacity training on conflict transformation, non-violent communication, problem solving dialogue as alternative to violence as well as trust and confidence building.
Climate-Change Governance
The projects seeks promote resilient practices that conserve the natural resources by enhancing equitable access, utilization and sharing the natural. through this projects, pastoralist communities and the fisherfolks are organized, trained and provided with alternative knowledge and skills that sustains the use of the natural resources including water, pasture, land through alternative agriculture and aquaculture that improves incomes and livelihood.