Low awareness limits access to State youth funds, says Youth Coordinator Ouko
Speaking during an interview at Radio Generation, Ouko said that while these funds are designed to support young people, many are unaware of how to access them or the conditions for application.
Thousands of young Kenyans are missing out on government youth funds such as the Nyota Fund and Uwezo Fund due to low awareness, says Mark Ouko, Youth Coordinator at the National Students Council of Kenya.
Speaking during an interview at Radio Generation, Ouko said that while these funds are designed to support young people, many are unaware of how to access them or the conditions for application.
“I told him, if we can create more awareness, particularly around the government funds that are there to help young people, I think this is a space where we can have so many people… there are about 64,000 youths who are able to get help from Uwezo Fund,” Ouko said.
He noted that while some funds require group applications, others are available to individuals, offering multiple entry points for young people.
Uwezo Fund is a flagship programme for Vision 2030 aimed at enabling women, youth and persons with disabilities access finances to promote businesses and enterprises at the constituency level, thereby enhancing economic growth towards the realization of the same and the Sustainable Development Goals No.1 (eradicate extreme poverty and hunger) and 3 (promote gender equality and empower women).
The Fund is highly decentralized and has adopted the concept of a bottom-up approach, with decision-making done at the grassroots level.
On the other side, the NYOTA Project (National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement) is a Kenyan government initiative supported by the World Bank, designed to boost youth employability, expand income-generating opportunities, and promote savings.
Key components include improving youth skills, providing employment opportunities, supporting entrepreneurship, and partnering with the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) for a youth-focused savings plan called Haba Haba.
The youth Coordinator explained that political will is critical for ensuring the funds reach the intended beneficiaries.
“If there is no political will to have these funds reach the young people, it won’t happen because the funds are there. The only problem is that most people are saying they are applying, but the money does not get to them,” he said.
To improve awareness, Ouko suggested focusing on spaces where young people naturally gather, including universities, community organizations, and online platforms.
Ouko referenced the “tipping point” concept by Malcolm Gladwell, where reaching a few key influencers can create a multiplier effect to benefit thousands.
“If I want to get youths in Muhoroni, there’s the Member of Parliament who could be reached, youth leaders, MCs… this is the tipping point concept of how you can easily create awareness,” he said.
Social media, he added, provides another platform to reach a wider audience.
While some youths have benefited from the programs, Ouko stressed that only consistent political commitment can ensure that funds effectively reach the young people who need them most.
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