Stakeholders Unite to Strengthen Youth Programs in Makueni

By Andrew Mbuva 

Key stakeholders in Makueni County have resolved to enhance coordination and collaboration in implementing youth-focused initiatives, following a round-table forum convened by the Makueni Development Trust (MADET).

The engagement brought together representatives from the national and county governments, youth-serving organisations, the private sector led by the Makueni Chapter of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, civil society groups, and media houses.

Speaking after the forum, Robert Muli of MADET said the discussions centred on improving youth-led activity implementation across the county.

“Today we convened a round-table discussion with the national government, the county government and youth-serving organisations within Makueni, including the private sector. The focus was on how we can better engage to improve youth-led activities within the county,” he said.

Muli noted that participants examined policy frameworks, financing gaps, and strategies for stronger collaboration to maximise impact.

“We discussed issues around policy, financing for youth-led activities, and how we can collaborate better moving forward. We also had a networking session to ensure coordinated working, proper layering and sequencing of activities so that we achieve synergy and better results for our youth,” he added.

A key concern raised during the forum was the gap in information dissemination at the grassroots level. Civil society representatives pointed out that several youth-targeted programmes were not widely known across the county.

“We realised there are gaps in information flow to the grassroots. Some projects implemented by the national government and the private sector have not reached certain sections of the county because people simply lack the information,” Muli said.

The forum resolved to strengthen communication channels to ensure broader awareness and access to ongoing initiatives.

Participants also underscored the importance of leveraging Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) partnerships among the private sector, government and civil society to amplify the impact of youth interventions.

“Through stronger CSR collaboration, we can ensure our interventions have a bigger and better impact within Makueni,” Muli said.

The media was identified as a strategic partner in promoting civic engagement, public participation and youth empowerment programmes. Discussions highlighted the potential of commercial advertising and CSR-supported media campaigns to expand outreach, particularly on matters such as voter registration and civic education.

Christine Kyalo, representing the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, described the forum as a significant opportunity for stakeholders to align their efforts.

“It was a big opportunity for different stakeholders — the private sector, county government, civil society and the media. We realised that in many cases we are duplicating efforts while targeting the same group, especially the youth,” she said.

Kyalo noted that the discussions helped identify gaps and areas for innovation, paving the way for joint implementation of programmes.

“We have seen avenues where we can collaborate and jointly implement activities for greater benefit to young people. We have identified gaps and come up with solutions that can drive innovation and prosperity,” she said.

She further emphasised the role of social media and digital platforms in creating opportunities for young people to showcase their talents and businesses.

“We have seen that through social media, youth can display what they do to the community and encourage others who are still at the grassroots,” she added.

The stakeholders committed to sustained engagement and structured coordination to ensure youth-focused programmes in Makueni are better aligned, widely communicated and more impactful.