YouthPrograms
Withthe upward increase in population in major countries across theworld, we are experiencing a challenge of creating jobs and ensuringthat our youths are not involved in activities which will risk anation’s future. For instance, industrialized states face thechallenges of sustaining employment with good wages, while lessindustrialized nations face the challenges of providing jobs andskills to its youths. Most countries in Africa are experiencing veryhigh levels of the unemployment rate. In my case, I chose toinvestigate Kenya, a country with the third largest slum in Africa,where its wealth is owned by 1% of the population (Development PolicyManagement Forum Organization, 2016).
Kenyahas hit the international media on several occasions. First, when itwas referred as a hotbed of terror by CNN, also during the visits ofPope and Obama. Finally, during the recent attacks at GarissaUniversity and army base in Somalia that left 147 and 180 people deadrespectively (BBC, 2016). What captures my attention is the killingof over 140 students of Garissa University students. One of theterrorist, that was identified, was Abdirahim Mohammad Abdullahi, aformer student of the University of Nairobi (UoN), the leadinguniversity in the country. This was the second case involving aformer university student being recruited to perpetrate terrorattacks (The Jamestown Foundation).
Theseyouths are being lured to join terror groups as there are no jobs andthose that are available, pay peanuts. The terror groups are payingthe youths $700 in a month and provide their families with upkeep(The Jamestown Foundation). To counter these challenges, thegovernment of Kenya reinstated the National Youth Service program. Itprovides free education and technical skills in business,Engineering, IT, Accountancy, Hotel and Catering, and Artisan courses(National Youth Service Kenya, 2015). It has gone ahead and made adeal with the United Arab Emirates, where Kenya was given 100,000 jobslots for its National Youth Service graduates (Standard Digital,2015). Other youths are either assimilated in the civil or privatesector, depending on skills and performance through governmentarrangements.
Theprogram has proved helpful as the youths are given hope in life bynot only being provided with free education, but also jobs. Also, itpromotes patriotism when a government shows concern for its youth’swelfare. This program reduces the level of idleness of youth,preventing them from being involved in social misfits. By tacklingthese little challenges, the government is slowly reducingunemployment rates and the citizens that are susceptible torecruitment by the terrorist.
References
BBC.(2016, February 25). Somalia`s al-Shabab killed `180 Kenyan troops`in el-Ade – BBC News. Retrieved fromhttp://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-35658500
DevelopmentPolicy Management Forum Organization. (2016). A Brief General Profileon Inequality in Kenya. Retrieved fromhttp://www.dpmf.org/dpmf/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=97:a-brief-general-profile-on-inequality-in-kenya&catid=43:social-policy-development-and-governance-in-kenya&Itemid=94
Forbes.(2015, August 13). Forbes Welcome. Retrieved fromhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/mfonobongnsehe/2015/08/13/cnn-boss-apologizes-to-kenya-over-terrorism-slur/#28eab01c264c
TheJamestown Foundation. (2016, January 7). Al-Shabaab Recruitment fromKenyan Universities Alarms Officials | The Jamestown Foundation.Retrieved fromhttp://www.jamestown.org/programs/tm/single/?tx_ttnews[tt_news]=44951&cHash=abb508bc030cbed438bb4b009236f6b5#.V0zxOyFZPct
NationalYouth Service (NYS) Kenya. (2015). National Youth Service (NYS) inKenya – Elimu Centre. Retrieved fromhttp://www.elimucentre.com/colleges/kenya-colleges/national-youth-service-nys-in-kenya
StandardDigital. (2015, February 17). Kenya gets 100,000 UAE jobs forNational Youth Service recruits – Standard Digital News. Retrievedfromhttp://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2000151932/kenya-gets-100-000-uae-jobs-for-national-youth-service-recruits