The Turkana County Government is exploring a partnership with Corps Africa Kenya aimed at increasing youth participation in development programmes through volunteerism, skills development and community-led initiatives.
The Turkana County Government is exploring a partnership with Corps Africa Kenya aimed at increasing youth participation in development programmes through volunteerism, skills development and community-led initiatives.
The proposed collaboration was discussed during a meeting between county officials and representatives of Corps Africa Kenya, where the two sides explored ways of creating meaningful opportunities for skilled young people to contribute to development in Turkana.
Corps Africa Kenya Deputy Country Director Thomas Mogaka said the programme seeks to connect skilled youth with volunteer opportunities that allow them to contribute to development priorities identified by county and national governments.
The initiative is also expected to provide young people with practical experience while enabling communities to benefit from their skills and knowledge.
Partnership to Put Communities at the Centre
Corps Africa Kenya Programme Coordinator Ekodi Nicholas said the organisation’s approach is designed to strengthen community ownership by ensuring that development interventions respond to priorities identified by residents themselves.
The model places local communities at the centre of identifying challenges and developing solutions, while creating opportunities for young people to play an active role in addressing issues affecting their communities.
Deputy Director for Gender and Youth Affairs Linus Ekidor welcomed the proposed partnership, saying collaborations that equip young people with practical skills could complement existing county development programmes.
“Collaboration with organizations that bring new ideas, technical expertise and opportunities for our young people can strengthen the county’s efforts in addressing the needs of its communities,” Ekidor said.
Youth Seen as Partners in Development
Representing the Turkana Development Trust, Faith Akiru emphasised the importance of partnerships that empower communities to participate directly in development initiatives.
She noted that creating meaningful opportunities for local youth could enable them to contribute to solutions affecting their communities while strengthening community ownership of development projects.
For Turkana, the discussions come as the county continues to explore new approaches to youth empowerment, economic inclusion and community resilience.
Beyond financial investment, the proposed partnership highlights the potential of skills, knowledge and youth volunteerism to support locally driven development.
More Engagements Planned
The Sector Working Group is expected to continue discussions with Corps Africa Kenya to identify practical areas of collaboration that align with Turkana’s development priorities.
The partnership could provide a platform for young people to move beyond being beneficiaries of development programmes and become skilled contributors and drivers of change within their communities.
The meeting was attended by George Ndege of the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA), Virginia Ekeno of Empowering Youth Era, Emal Carlos and Alany Narot of Sedat Kenya, County Economist Dennis Saizi and Samson Ekamais from County Partnerships, among other county government officials.
