The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) Eastern Africa COVID-19 Response Program was created to support youth recovery from the effects of the pandemic. It employs a three-prong approach designed to enhance their capacity to cope with the impact of COVID-19, improve health delivery systems, and increase access to adolescent and youth-friendly health services, life skills, and livelihood opportunities.

As the implementation partner, Ongoza is training four hundred youth group leaders in the coast region. The program supports and equips the youthful population in Lamu, Kilifi, Mombasa and Kwale counties with business training, mentorship, entrepreneurship support and leadership development for youth leaders with existing businesses or who intend to start a business. 

An advanced need assessment helped create the specially curated training content to help resolve the localized challenges these small business owners are experiencing. The lively, well-coordinated, interactive and informative sessions are conducted on Zoom in a format that appeals to the participants. A learning management system is also accessible to the participants where they can continuously access all program content, assignments and quizzes.

So far, four cohorts have completed their training, and graduation will be held next week for the fourth cohort. It is encouraging to listen to the sessions and see the transformation of the leaders as they share their experiences and support each other. 

The success measure of this program is that the 400 youth leaders trained will return to their communities and build the capacity of at least 4000 youth.