POWERING RURAL YOUTH

Description of the project and the work to be done

Component 1: Climate-Smart Agriculture and Sustainable Land Management
Output 1: At least 1000 rural youth adopt climate-smart agriculture and sustainable
land management (SLM) practices, contributing to improved productivity and
environmental resilience.
Key Activities
-Conduct climate, land-use, and value-chain assessments in the eight target sectors.
- Establish community demonstration plots (soil conservation, agroforestry, water
harvesting, improved seeds).
-Train youth through Farmer Field Schools (FFS) on SMART agriculture and SLM.
- Support community-led environmental actions, including tree planting, terracing,
and watershed protection.
Component 2: Savings, Financial Inclusion, and Entrepreneurship
Output 2: At least 2000 rural youth participate in functional VSLAs and demonstrate
improved financial literacy, savings, and access to finance.
Key Activities
-Deliver financial literacy and basic entrepreneurship training to youth.
- Form and strengthen youth-led VSLAs, with strong participation of young women.
- Provide coaching on VSLA governance, record-keeping, and accountability.
- Facilitate access to start-up capital through savings, internal lending, and linkages
to SACCOs and MFIs.
Component 3: TVET Skills, Youth Employability, and Green Entrepreneurship
Output 3: At least 6000 rural youth acquire market-relevant TVET and entrepreneurship
skills, with at least 50% transitioning into employment or self-employed.
Key Activities
- Conduct sector-level labor market and skills demand assessments.
- Deliver modular TVET training (climate-smart agriculture, agro-processing, green
construction, renewable energy, digital and service skills).

- Facilitate apprenticeships and internships with local enterprises, cooperatives, and
service providers.
- Support youth-led enterprises through mentoring, business planning, and start-up
tools.
Component 4: Enabling Environment, Partnerships, and Community Governance Output
4: Local institutions and community structures demonstrate increased capacity to support
youth-inclusive and climate-resilient livelihoods.
Key Activities
- Organize community dialogues on youth inclusion, gender equality, and climate
resilience.
- Establish Youth Livelihood and Climate Forums at sector level.
- Formalize partnerships (MoUs) with TVET centers, financial institutions, and
private sector actors.
- Build capacity of CIDO staff and community facilitators on climate adaptation,
safeguards, and MEL