Unemployment among the youth has reached crisis level and is likely to deteriorate as no sustained solution is given to the problem . Even university graduates find it difficult to get a job. The social consequences of idleness are critical. Youth are in desperate need in something meaningful to preoccupy them. From the first income generating activities (IGAs) that the Norwegian Red Cross has supported, through the youth delegate programme, it is shown that youth are able to go very far with only a small amount of initial capital.

 Kimilili youth proudly show their income generating activity; handicrafts

Poverty

Almost everyone in Western province, Kenya, live under the so-called poverty line of $1 a day (World Bank economic indicators). Most are farmers who live in mud huts with a small plot of land for farming. The land is supposed to generate the necessary income for the family of five or six to survive. As you walk through the rough roads children sit on the sides selling maize. All members of the family are expected to take part in the daily survival of the family. This is a part of the world where families do not value education as an investment. What use is it to have an educated child when employment is not even guaranteed for university graduates? After knowing many youth you will discover that many of them suffer from altars as a result of the stress that the worry of money causes.

Social consequences

The frustration that results from being idle and the stress of constantly searching for money often lead to drug abuse, alcoholism, violence and sky high crime rates. The small crimes of pick-pocketing bring about large scale crime of drug trafficking, robbery and murder. The security of the Kenyan citizens is a topic occurring daily in the newspapers. Further more the boredom of being idle lead to high sexual activity, teenage pregnancies and the spread of HIV/ AIDS. The country is therefore in desperate need of a solution to the unemployed youth.

Microfinance

The various Red Cross youth groups in Bungoma district have during the past months written a number of project proposals on small income generating projects. The criteria for support are that the projects involve many youth, that it is sustainable and that a transparent system of accounting is shown. Projects that are supported are various horticulture projects, the selling of paraffin and the expansion of a handicraft project. Some youth have already come together and chipped in something small to their project, be it one chicken each for poultry keeping or 1-2kg of ground nuts to start the planting. Support to these projects will enable them to expand either in terms of buying more land, buying a machine for producing oil from the ground nuts or build a structure to keep the poultry.

Youth from Sirisia wanting to expand their ground nut project.

Letting the youth themselves create projects that can sustain themselves and their families is a very effective way of fight idleness and combating poverty.