Factors influencing sustainability of youth empowerment programmes in Nyamira south district, Nyamira county, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors influencing sustainability of youth empowerment programmes in Nyamira South district, Nyamira County. The study was necessitated by the fact that many youth groups that were registered between the years 2010 to December 2013, only a few are existing in Nyamira South district, this implied that many youth empowerment programmes may not be sustainable. The study therefore aimed at establishing how the level of education, access to information, programme management, drug and substance abuse, and youth participation in policy and program design influence sustainability of youth empowerment programmes in Nyamira South district. Descriptive survey research design was used and the target population was 286 youth groups with a total population of 4290 youths in Nyamira South district. Stratified sampling technique was used and the sample size was determined from Morgan's table where the target population of 4290 youths gave a sample size of 351 youths, which when divided by 15 youths per group gave 23 youth groups that were involved in the study. Data was collected using self-administered questionnaires. Reliability of the research instruments was determined by the test retest technique in neighbouring Nyamira North district on a sampled youth groups and the results were correlated and gave correlation coefficient of 0.85 which was within the acceptable range. Validity of the research instruments was achieved by ensuring that items in the questionnaire covered the indicators of the variables. The results of the study were analysed using descriptive statistics like frequencies, ll1ea.'1S, percentages, means, and standard deviation. The results were presented using tables. The findings revealed that 53.3% of the youths who had entrepreneurship education contribute more in sustaining youth projects and programmes, in addition 78.2% of the youths with Secondary level of education felt secondary level of education was not sufficient to sustain youth empowerment programmes. 42% of the youths do not know how to get information from the internet, 86.5% of sustainable projects were properly organized and coordinated right from inception, 66.4% of the youths were unaware of the effects of drugs and substance abuse on their financial savings, 57.1 % of the youths were not involved in policy formulation and 99% of the district youth personnel were in agreement that accountability and prosecution mechanisms should be in place to curb misuse of group funds, It was concluded that the government should sponsor primary and secondary leavers for further training. Youths should be trained on information technology especially in the use of intemet as a source of information, election of youth leaders through secret ballot reduced conflicts and created unity among members. Finally the researcher suggested further reading on Social cultural factors that hinder female youth participation in empowerment projects in Nyamira South district.