Intergenerational dialogue seeks to address the unemployment challenge

Mombasa

Tuesday, August 1, 2023

KNA by Sadik Hassan

The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) and the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) hosted an intergenerational forum to address the unemployment challenge through social entrepreneurship.

Mombasa CECM for Tourism, Culture and Trade Mr. Mohamed Osman said intergenerational dialogue is one of the efficient conduits of learning and knowledge transfer.

“Through peer learning and fostering the exchange of ideas, the intergenerational dialogues are able to identify the gaps that must be addressed in order to increase opportunities in the social and digital spaces,” he said at the SwahiliPot hub.

The French Embassy is funding a social entrepreneurship initiative aimed to link youth and women to economic opportunities through skill transfer.

Communication Lead at KEPSA Ms. Josephine Wawira said the project comes from the realization that many youths and women are unemployed.

“We cannot employ everybody but we can try and find solutions, through partnerships between the private sector, public sector, development society, and civil society organizations (CSOs) to create opportunities for women and youths who want to venture into social entrepreneurship especially those who were left out in formal employment,” said Wawira.

She added that KEPSA will engage and scale the enterprises of ten entrepreneurs. “We are going to handhold them for about five months taking them through training, connecting them with potential partners and potential resources that they need to move their businesses to the next level,” said Wawira.

Red Cross Innovation Manager Ms. Priyanka Patel said to date, they have instilled social entrepreneurship knowledge in 1000 youth and women beneficiaries through workshops.

“Most of the time women are disadvantaged because of the barriers of culture and traditions. They are not exposed to different opportunities. We are trying to create tailor-made workshops and experiences opportunities for the women specifically,” she said.

She added that they have partnered with KEPSA to link social entrepreneurs to opportunities and partnerships. “Our core mandate is to alleviate human suffering we are trying to see how we can better our support to the communities and the beneficiaries, especially to the vulnerable populations,” bshe said.

“We are trying to create capacity where they can build themselves so that they are more resilient,” she said, adding that entrepreneurship will result in improved income that will guarantee better access to health services and lifestyle thus reducing disasters like disease outbreaks.

Jumuiya ya Kaunti za Pwani (JKP) CEO Mr. Emmanuel Nzai said Coastal youths should be prioritized in job opportunities from the region.

“Mombasa is the nerve center and a big employer in the Coast region, As JKP we are advocating for all jobs being created in Mombasa to first build the coast economy,” he said revealing that the six JKP counties have set aside funds to empower small businesses.

Courtesy ; K. N. A