Empowering youth through Entrepreneurship Skills Training : The case of Makangarawe ward

This project aimed at building capacity of Makangarawe youth for self employment creation through establishment sustainable IGAs. During CNA different participatory methods including focus group discussion, interviews, questionnaire survey, direct observation and documentary review were used to collect data related to problems facing youth and potential employment creation opportunities. Findings revealed an existence of several problems including unemployment, lack of capital, globalization issues, lack of entrepreneurial culture and skills, HIV/AIDS and drug abuse, lack markets and market information and lack of empowerment programmes. However, through Pair-wise Model, lack of entrepreneurship skills and culture was identified as the most critical problem. In this regard, it was decided that provision of entrepreneurship skills training would be the best alternative in solving such problem. In the course of project implementation 145 youths were trained and 18 out of them established an economic group named Makangarawe Tumaini Economic Group (MTEG) and identified manufacturing of Soap, Poultry, Fumigation and bee- keeping as their major IGAs. Project Monitoring and Evaluation activities involved all key stakeholders. It was envisage that through capacity gained, YCRC would use the training manuals for further training to meet high demand for this training in Makangarawe. In addition, MTEG members would be role model to train their fellow youth and sensitize them to engage in IGAs as a source of employment and income generation. The project recommends that skills training promote youth employability hence the Government and all stake holders should create conducive environment for youth to access necessary skills and support services needed to make them employable