According to the ILO, of the world's estimated 211 million unemployed people in 2009, nearly 40 per cent—or about 83 million—are between 15 and 24 years of age. In Africa, youth already accounted for 60% of the unemployed workforce in 2005 with women even less likely than men to have jobs. In the years leading up to 2015, Africa’s youth population is expected to increase by 36 million while the labour force is expected to grow by 22 million, reaching a total of 135 million. Youth employment will remain both an economic and a security issue for Africa, with the lack of decent livelihood opportunities as one of the driving forces behind violence or organized crime.

The youth in Kenya includes young people aged between 15 and 30 years of age who are approximately 14 million. Youth comprise 75% of Kenya’s population of which, 57% are female. Youth form about 60% of the total active labour force in the country.  However, due to high levels of unemployment, most of them have not been absorbed in the job market hence forcing them to engage in social and economic crimes.

Women have had their status relegated to basic domestic house hold work by the society. Women are increasingly becoming heads of households with no resources to support their dependents.  They do not enjoy due acknowledgment for their labour contribution, particularly in agriculture, and do not have decision making power. Women in the society have been placed in a subordinate position, using religion and culture as an excuse. These excuses have for many years been supported by laws and legislation that uphold patriarchy and women’s subordination. This has resulted in disparities between men and women, in division of labour, share of benefits, in law and state, in how households are organized, and how these are interrelated.

These problems are entirely dominant in the eight districts we focus on in Nairobi province. The youth and women in these areas especially the slums of Mukuru, Kibera, and Mathare are continuously disadvantaged with few opportunities to rise from the abject poverty they live in. Their socio-economic growth is hampered by the inability to take advantage of potential  opportunities. This has led to unemployment, idleness, high crime rates and wasted talents. This is further been exacerbated by lack of the political will, suppression of the poor, and insufficient involvement of youth and women in the matters of national interest.

Empowerment of youth and women is the driving force for transformation. Young people need a youth branded platform from where they can speak powerfully, take appropriate action, and be independent in order to make right and meaningful choices in their lives. Women need to be able to rise above their current situation and take leadership positions in their communities and homes.

Empowerment and participation is a dynamic cycle that fuels significant change for youth and women. The outcome of empowerment and participation of youth and women is a necessary contribution to national prosperity, economic competition, social change, technological innovation and reduced unemployment. When empowered, youth and women can contribute greatly towards decisions affecting their lives and act as ambassadors of change in transforming lives in the community.

Young people and women recognize that the changes they are seeking can only come when they play a full and proactive role in seeking for opportunities to develop themselves, their families, communities and their societies as a whole. Their imagination, ideas, considerable energies and visions are essential for the continuing development of the co0mmunities in which they live.

Positive Transformation Initiative was formed in order to promote a breakthrough development strategy for youth and women.  POTRAIN will therefore employ professional, robust and dynamic strategies to timely counter the root causes of the problems. We will ensure that the challenges and shortcomings affecting the youth are addressed to attain social and economic conditions and the wellbeing of their lives and the future generations.

This will be achieved through microenterprise development that involves addressing the needs of poor and vulnerable youth and women by linking them appropriately to secure loans form lending institutions and help them harness the resources they need to participate meaningfully in development.
POTRAIN will strengthen the levels of participation and empowerment of youth and women in Micro and Small Enterprise (MSE) and increase access to financial services to enhance capacity of the economically vulnerable groups. We understand that the MSE sector is crucial in Kenya’s economic development and provides an opportunity for economic growth, employment generation and poverty reduction.

POTRAIN has the technical capacity to design and support programmes addressing the needs of  vulnerable  individuals, groups,  communities and institutions in initiating  viable opportunities that can foster employment and business creation.  We will support training through education and sustainable enterprises creation and will establish a platform for social dialogue with extensive networking with like-minded institutions to support youth and women thus promoting social cohesion.