In the wake of the National Assembly Committee on Social Protection committing to spearhead the youth empowerment after receiving an appraisal of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA), many Kenyans still do not have a clear understanding of the particular project.

The general scope of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement Project (NYOTA) is a five-year-long initiative put in place
by the Government of Kenya to benefit the youth.

The project also focuses on addressing unemployment, enhancing income generation, and promoting a culture of saving among youth.

Target group

The NYOTA programs target vulnerable youth who meet the following criteria:

Age: 18–29 years (up to 35 years for Persons with Disabilities).

Education: Form 4 level of education or below.

Employment Status: Unemployed, underemployed, or in low-income jobs.

Location: Youth from all 47 counties, including refugees in Garissa and Turkana.

Kenya project intervention

NYOTA Project is structured into four components:

1. Improving youth employability

Implemented by: State Department for Youth (SDY), State Department for Labour (SDL), National Industrial Training Authority (NITA), and National Employment Authority (NEA).

Focus: Skills development, apprenticeships, and job placement support.

2. Expanding employment opportunities

Implemented by: Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA).

Focus: Supports entrepreneurship through business development services training, mentorship, business start-up capital, and results-based financing in partnerships with social enterprises.

3. Supporting youth savings

Implemented by: National Social Security Fund (NSSF).

Focus: Promotes savings through incentives, financial literacy, and enhanced systems.

4. Strengthening youth employment systems

Implemented by: State Department for Youth (SDY) and State Department for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (SD MSMEs).

Focus: Builds systems for youth employment and ensures effective project management.

Implemented by the Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA), this intervention focuses on expanding employment opportunities through entrepreneurship development and support to social enterprises, targeting over 100,000 youth across Kenya’s 47 counties.

What MSEA is offering under NYOTA:

a) Support for entrepreneurship

Includes socio-emotional and business skills training, business start-up capital, and mentorship support.

b) Results-Based Financing Partnership with Social Enterprises

Aims to achieve better employment outcomes and increase income for 10,000 hard-to-serve youth. It also aims to partner with social enterprises to provide entrepreneurship training and kits (where applicable).

Ahead of the national rollout of the project, Thika Town Member of Parliament Alice Ng’ang’a said; ”With sustained commitment, we as a committee believe Kenya’s youth can and will be positioned as true drivers of economic resilience and inclusive growth.”