Mombasa, Kenya – The non-governmental organization (NGO) "Hope for Youth" officially launched a new comprehensive youth employment and empowerment program on Monday. The initiative is designed to provide much-needed vocational training and access to micro-grants for unemployed young people in the coastal region.

Skills for Self-Reliance

The program aims to equip participants with practical, marketable skills in various trades, including carpentry, tailoring, information and communication technology (ICT), and other locally relevant vocations. A key component of the initiative is to provide mentorship and financial support, through micro-grants, to help these trained youths start their own small businesses and achieve economic self-reliance. Hope for Youth Founder, Amina Barasa, stated that the program will specifically target at-risk youth residing in coastal counties, where unemployment rates among young people can be particularly high. She further emphasized that empowering young people economically not only improves their individual livelihoods but also contributes significantly to fostering peace, stability, and security within their communities.