The Problem

Kenya has been classified as a lower middle-income country, but it still faces many challenges including poverty and inequality. Thirty-five percent of our population still live below the international poverty line, earning less than $1.90 per person, per day.

Youth Unemployment in Kenya has worsened a lot over the years. The national unemployment and underemployment rate is at  35% under the age of 35. (Young) women face additional constraints when trying to find decent employment and therefore have higher rates of underemployment and unemployment than men.

Agriculture employs a large percentage of the population and offers a lot of opportunities for employment, but there is a big skills gap of young Kenyans in the agricultural business. Meaning that many youth lack the entry level skill requirements that agricultural businesses seek in employees.

Besides that, there is a huge potential for sustainable economic growth through agribusiness and food processing in the regions of Kwale, Mombasa and Kilifi, but there is a lack of market and appropriate technologies, and unequitable access to productive resources.

With our project we, we want to narrow the gap between the labour markets demands and the skills of young job seekers.

The Solution

We want to see a Kenya full of life and joy, where families do more than simply survive. We want children to go to school, people to chase their dreams and poverty to be a distant memory.

This is what we hope to achieve with our project The Low Hanging Fruit 4 Youth Employment. Our project will improve the agriculture enterprise ecosystem for decent youth employment in the Coastal region of Kenya.

With our project we aim to:

• Increase job opportunities, by creating, matching and improving 1000 jobs. We will achieve this by building capacity in business start-ups and increase the capacity for youth to scale their enterprises. Each entrepreneur will receive a training package tailored for them, to improve their business knowledge and practical skills.
• Facilitate the access to resources and pathways for young entrepreneurs to unlock sufficient capital to establish and expand their businesses. For young mothers, we will facilitate employers that work with flexible working hours and appropriate work ergonomics.
• Improve access to competitive markets for youth. We will do this by facilitating famers linkages to affordable inputs, enabling them to produce increased high-quality products.

Ripple Effect’s multiplier approach will build the capacity and confidence of youths to successfully undertake and set up successful businesses, mentor, and support other needy and unemployed youths to uptake agriculture enterprises. Our goal is to facilitate 1000 jobs for young Kenyans in Kwale, Kilifi and Mombasa.

Additionality 

With the support of CFYE our growth will be accelerated, which will also build confidence in out growers to invest in sustainable agricultural practices, which will in its turn lead to increased quality and quantity produce. Furthermore, it will enable us to run more collection centres and engage and reach more youth and women in formal and decent employment. With the support of CFYE the project will be able to proceed more quickly than it otherwise would have.