Every year, Elimu organizes a youth information forum for recent high school graduates and other youth out of school. On such a day, the youth are exposed to the information they need to make life decisions such as transitioning from high school to tertiary education and tapping into emerging trends and opportunities in the business and professional world.
We are thrilled to have been able to hold the 3rd Youth Info Forum after missing two years due to COVID-19. This year’s forum brought together over 400 youths from Malindi, Kilifi and Tana River. The theme for this year’s forum was “21st Century Skills and Opportunities for Youth.”
From our various speakers and activities, the youth were enlightened on career guidance, applying for college and university, opportunities in the blue economy and entrepreneurship space; and many girls were encouraged to enroll in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) related courses.
“We all benefit by having young people exposed to the ‘way things are done’ in a democratic society.”
It was also a day for youth to showcase their innovations and share entrepreneurial ideas. It was inspiring to see young people in various industries including art, music, dance, fashion and design, exchange ideas and show support to each other. Speaking on his experience as a young entrepreneur, Lennox Ogada, an artist based in Malindi encouraged the youth to push their dreams and pursue their lives purpose.
Our girls in the sewing program amazed the crowd with their beautifully crafted hair bands and pouches, which they sold to guests and participants. This was an affirmation of the growth in their journey; once shy and hopeless, they are now empowered and confident entrepreneurs.
To crown the event, we had 26 students graduating with various professional certificates from our Cisco Networking Academy. Among them were 10 motorbike taxi drivers who graduated with a certificate in Computer basics.
It was an honour to have the CEC Education and ICT, Kilifi County; Hon. Rachael Musyoki as our chief guest. She encouraged the youth present to actively think about their future by seeking out mentorship and opportunities for growth. This message was stressed upon by the other guest speakers including; Linda Cherop of Edukans Kenya, Alex Magu of STEM Impact Centre Kenya, Robert Wahome of Sinapis and John Green of The Sentinel Project.
With Kenya closely getting into the electioneering period, the youth were urged to be peace ambassadors in their communities by always verifying information before sharing on social media.
Of the 400+ participants, 55% received guidance on career choices and applying for colleges and universities; 20% enrolled for bursaries to study at our Cisco Networking Academy, and scholarships to pursue professional certificate courses with European Business University; 10% applied for volunteer and mentorship opportunities with the partnering organizations.
With such forums, we aim to improve youth employment and self-sustainability by exposing young people to training and skills development opportunities. As we endeavour to impact more youth in the coastal Kenya and Tana River regions, we seek the support of key stakeholders to enable the implementation of future youth information forums.
