Youth unemployment remains major a challenge to Kenyan. With at least 60 percent of youths being unemployed, the rate of crime has increased as youths explore ways to sustain themselves. For this reason, available mentorship opportunities in the country are a source of hope for the hopelessly poor. Thus, mentors are big pillars for any generation. Here are top 10 Kenyan institutions offering mentorship opportunities:
- Pamoja Kenya Mentorship Alliance
Designed and launched by Ms Winter Okoth in 2011, the institution provides mentorship programs to Kenyan girls. The program targets girls from Kenyan slums and remote rural areas. Its focus is in areas such as academics and girl child health social life. Pamoja Kenya Mentorship Alliance operates through selected school PMC clubs to nature and empowers young people.
- Undugu Mentorship
This is a non-governmental institution working with secondary school students and youths in counties within the coastal region of Kenya. Undugu mentorship involves adults offering support, guidance and motivation to the young generation thorough sharing their life experiences. Located in Mombasa, the institution organises mentorship programs involving schools in the region on issues affecting youths such as drug abuse and sexual immorality. Founded in 2006, it organised its first mentorship program in in 2014 dubbed my education, my future in Taita-Taveta.
- Kenya Education Fund
Kenya education fund provides educational support and resources to the disadvantaged students to enable them pursue their dreams and venture into entrepreneurship. Due to high number of high school dropouts, the institution through scholarship program has sponsored 750 beneficiaries in different high schools, colleges and universities countrywide. Funding is through well-wishers, donations, and private donors. In partnership with Nazarene university, Lwala community, and Seed for Hope youths are able to acquire knowledge on HIV/AIDS and networking opportunities.
- Kakenya Centre For Excellence
Founded by Kakenya Ntaiya in 2009, it was established to serve the most vulnerable and disadvantaged girls in Kenya. The institution built a primary girls school in Enoosaen Kenya that focuses’ on empowering the girl child. Located in Trans Mara Narok County, the institution alleviates the lives of girls through education, empowerment, and leadership. It also advocates against destructives cultural practices such as early marriage and FGM. The school started with 32 students. Today, it has 170 students from the locality.
- Tweed Kenya Mentoring Program
Tweed Kenya mentoring program aims at creating awareness on importance of a healthy environment in Kenyan slums and rural areas. It employs staffs who work with youth in different areas who take part in creating environmental awareness through sporting activities. Established in 2005, TKMP has installed small-scale water purification in Siaya County. The program, which is hosted by Gallamoro Network, is also involved in increasing access to information on care and support for people affected with HIV/AIDs.
- Professional Business Mentorship Association of Kenya
Professional Business Mentorship Association of Kenya was formed and launched by Kenyan stakeholders. The association aims at providing financial advice to small businesses. The institution runs its mentorship program through Kenyan universities as a course. The first batch trained at Inorero University and has since expanded to other universities. The group has trained at least 65 graduates. The association brings together professional business mentors who facilitate and provide mentorship services to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
- Inorero University
Through its regional centre for enterprise development, Inorero University offers business training that is funded by Danish embassy in Nairobi. The training is divided into business dimension and mentoring dimension. The program dabbed the Micro, Small, and medium enterprise MSME provides mentorship to young entrepreneurs aged from 18 to 35 years. The program takes 6 to 12 months at a fee as agreed between the youths and the mentor. Since its inception in 2011, the program has trained over 215 youths.
- Uwezo Fund
Uwezo Fund is a flagship programme of Kenya’s Vision 2030. It provides mentorship opportunities to women, youths, and persons with disabilities with the aim of equipping then with information for capacity building programmes. Uwezo fund aims at empowering youth and persons with disability access finances to promote businesses and enterprise at the constituency
- Centre for Education Innovations
Launched in 2010, the youth empowerment program provides entrepreneurship, vacation and emotional skill training for unemployed youth in Nairobi and Kiambu counties through the NAPS (National Association for the Prevention of Starvation Kenya).
- Riziki Kenya
Established in 2005, Riziki Kenya aims to mentor and sponsor youth in vocational training. The program targets youths from slums to equip them with skills that will enable them be self-employed. Riziki Kenya offers mentoring programs though churches and community groups. The program stations the energies through mentorship, counseling, and rehabilitation to restore human dignity.
