The most pressing issue confronting youth in impoverished areas, particularly in the aftermath of the covid pandemic, is a lack of food.
Maggie Kiplagat, FounderLack of food has caused youth to engage in behaviors that they would not engage in if they were fed. To get a meal, youth will resort to robbery, prostitution, and child labor to list a few.
The UYK initiative to launch the City to Farm Agripreneurship Program had two components. Find a way to secure food, and second, generate funds from farming for youth to start their own businesses or continue as young farmers, and contribute to food security, which is currently a major concern throughout the country.
Unlimited Youth Kenya launched its economic empowerment initiative in 2022 with a mission to transform the lives of young individuals through business empowerment. The program initially offered business training, business plan writing skills, and startup funding to aspiring entrepreneurs.
Despite good intentions, the pilot phase revealed a common challenge: a lack of discipline, resilience, and consistency among participants.
Responding to this valuable feedback, the program underwent a significant redesign, leading to the introduction of "City to Farm," a pioneering 6-month Agriculture program. This innovative approach prioritizes building resilience and discipline in youth before granting business funding.
The comprehensive curriculum comprises classroom-based business and agriculture training, followed by a hands-on 6-month farm experience, providing essential tools and resources for a successful harvest. Commitment and determination are the only prerequisites.
In January 2023, the successfully executed pilot marked a turning point. Cohort 1 was onboarded on August 14, 2023, and the program is set to run until February 2023, aligning with the timeline required for onion seedbed setup, transplanting, and harvesting.
The farm's proceeds will fund approved youth business ideas, each with requests of up to 100K per youth, while also supporting incoming Cohort 2 and sustaining program operations.
Through this strategic program and rotational model, Unlimited Youth Kenya envisions not only making a significant impact but also ensuring its long-term sustainability. Empowering youth through disciplined agricultural training is the path to building a brighter future for Kenya's entrepreneurial leaders.
SDG 1-NO Poverty- is being supported by this effort.
The rate of youth unemployment has nearly doubled in the last three years, owing largely to the unemployed taking the longest to find work. In the year 2022, 3.12 million of those aged 20-34 were unemployed. This rising number of unemployed youth is concerning, as they continue to exacerbate Kenya's unemployment crisis.
Unlimited Youth is doing something about this. With the introduction of opportunities for youth employment through our agripreneurship program in 2023, Unlimited Youth Kenya is tackling this challenge head on.
UYK began as an arts-based facility focused on alleviating youth suffering during the Covid pandemic. We provided a platform for self-expression through networking, dance, and computer instruction, as well as food baskets and mental health counseling.
We even funded an economic empowerment program to help youth start small businesses. However, inconsistent funding led to negative impacts on attendance and commitment, and we realized that we couldn't alleviate youth suffering without a reliable source of income through decent work.
The UYK initiative to launch the City to Farm Agripreneurs program had two components. Find a way to secure food, and second, generate funds from farming for youth to start their own businesses or continue as young farmers, and contribute to food security, which is currently a major concern throughout the country.
Our strategy as part of the UYK 6-month Agripreneurs program, UYK Youth learn about agriculture, work on a farm, grow, maintain, and sell farm products, with a portion of the proceeds going toward youth-run businesses.
1. Financial literacy training- Costing, record-keeping, and business planning
2. Sixty days Farming Agripreneurship Program: Through hands-on experience working in a farm under the guidance of our qualified farmers or mentors, these programs give UYK youth practical knowledge of the best farming practices and teach pertinent skills.
The UYK Agripreneur Pilot Project Launched in February 2023, when UYK youth were donated a quarter acre to test onion farming, with a harvest expected in June 2023.This pilot project was supported by a team of three young men who were accepted into the program and will help us launch the first UYK City to Farm Program in June 2023 with our first cohort of youth.
The program will begin with a series of in-classroom training sessions, followed by on-the-job training.
The harvest revenue will be reinvested back into the farm to support program execution for the first cohort. The same concept will be applied to subsequent cohorts to ensure sustainability, with a portion of the proceeds reinvested in farming and the remainder supporting youth entrepreneurs.
At UYK, we believe that by involving young people in farming, we can gradually transform the employment crisis into great opportunities for our youth, positively impact our communities, and improve the quality of life.
Maggie Kiplagat, FounderYou can contribute to the cause by donating computers, stationery, business equipment, farm equipment, clothes, health hygiene items etc. Email us to coordinate pickup. .
We accept donations via paypal, credit cards and wire transfer. Click Donate button to contribute to the cause.
Your support will have a positive impact on local youth by rekindling their optimism, enabling their dreams, and helping them live better lives that they are entitled to as members of humanity.