The ICY training programme forms the core of what we started in Kenya but the trainers are now building on these foundations teaching entrepreneurship and business start-ups. Despite being in the majority, about 75% of Africa’s population is below 24 yrs, young people are hardest hit by unemployment.
- In 2016, ICY Africa trained 25 young Kenyans and twelve of these started business enterprises. Five of these individuals started aquaculture and are already harvesting fish for their families and making sales to supplement their income. Two have started bamboo farming with the purpose of harvesting them for furniture making. Five formed a community based organisation that trains others in entrepreneurship.
- In Tanzania, ICY trained 70 young people, in entrepreneurship skills and resource mobilisation. With government help, some of them started a company which makes small loans to start businesses and projects, thereby reducing the dependency level by 90%.
- In Zimbabwe, ICY partnered with NACA, a local organisation, to train 250 young women on climate smart agriculture. This saw them increase their yields by 25%.
