Article 43 Community Empowerment Meetings

Turkana County is rated one of the poorest counties that make up the Republic of Kenya. Recurring failures of the leadership at different levels of the political bureaucracy have set expectations in Turkana County several steps back despite the county hosting a variety of mineral and gas deposits. The majorities of the youth in Turkana County lacks the requisite capacities to pursue a common position on the problems bedeviling them and do not know the role they have to play for the community to develop. Lack of access to adequate information has paralyzed the contribution of the youth to the development of the community and a few positive results are realized. A majority of the youth is also not exposed to the opportunities available to the youth in the national and county governments and this has serious implications to youth and their future. The recent experience of the food insecurity that led to the intervention of Kenyans for Kenya and in which Kerio was among the worst affected is not a unique or an isolated case.

In response to these challenges, Article 43 organized a youth forum that brought together over 500 residents of Kerio division to listen to youth leaders invited from across the Turkana County as they delivered keynote addresses on a number of topics relating to the youth. Mr. Kablit Ewoton Samuel, the chairperson of The National Youth Council-Turkana enlightened the youth of Kerio on the opportunities available to them in both the national and county governments. He expounded on the concept of Uwezo Fund, Youth Enterprise Development Fund and Youth Entrepreneurship in general and went ahead to challenge the youth to wake up and fight for their rights. Mr. Kablit pointed out the need to develop a Kerio Development Agenda and a clearly outlined role of the youth in achieving the set objectives. The lively address that saw the youth glued to their seats for close to one hour had a huge impact on what the youth initially knew about the said topics.

Mr. Timothy Achodangiro Ewoi, The Chairman of AKUS-Turkan addressed the youth on their role in keeping the leaders on toes as well as directly making their contributions in whichever way they can. Mr. Ewoi touched on a number of issues while citing examples of how the youth have made bigger impact to communities in other parties of Kenya and the world. Mr. Etiir Fredrick, the chairman for the Turkana County Medical Students expounded on the role of the youth in community development and went ahead to challenge them to wake up and determine their own destiny. He also reminded the medical students present to be part of the larger medical student fraternity for the sake of prosperity. Mr. Mike Kaissa asked the youth to think about all they had heard from the speakers and to be serious when dealing with matters affecting their lives.

The idea behind the youth forum was to bring together the best of youthful members of the Kerio community to discuss the challenges facing the youth in Kerio and Turkana generally, and to fashion out the best way forward towards a sustainable and inclusive future. The summit was a platform for the discussion and reflection on what the region had done to improve youth development and sustainable development. It culminated into formulation of key recommendations for various implementation agencies and stakeholders working in the region, which once adhered to, would result into a better region for the future generation of Kenyans .