From skills to systems: rural youth building resilient livelihoods in Kenya

In Losuk, Samburu West, Linoh Lokirik has learned that resilience often starts with adaptation. For years, livestock fattening sustained him, until repeated insecurity and animal theft made the venture too risky to rely on. “At some point, it became hard to continue with ram fattening,” Linoh recalls. “The risks were high, and I wanted something more sustainable.” 

Across rural Kenya, young people are proving that opportunity grows where vision meets support. Through SNV’s Engaging Kenyan Youth in Agribusiness and Nutrition (EKYAN) project implemented in partnership with UNICEF, ASSEK, Proportion Global, and county governments they are redefining how work, leadership, and sustainability take root from the drylands of Samburu to the lakeside communities of Kisumu and the vibrant markets of Busia. 

With KES 80,000 saved from his livestock trade and support from his Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA)  Linoh launched an agro-input and cybercafé business at Losuk Centre. The idea was simple but transformative: provide farmers with seeds, feed, and fertiliser while giving students access to digital services like printing, e-learning, and online applications all under one roof. 

What started as a single-room shop has grown into a profitable enterprise earning him KES 30,000–40,000 per month. He has also ventured into small-scale horticulture, supplying vegetables to nearby households embracing kitchen gardening. 

Today, Linoh is more than a business owner he’s a source of inspiration. Other young people regularly seek his advice on savings, stock management, and diversification. His story captures what EKYAN stands for: turning skills into systems of opportunity in the most rural corners of Kenya. 

Further north in Oporoi, Bawa Ward, the plains stretch wide and dry under a pale blue sky. Most of the land here is communal, controlled by elders, and rainfall is erratic limiting what young people can do with it. Yet, the Namerock Youth Group is proving that innovation thrives even in scarcity. 

“We don’t own land, but we own ideas,” says one member, adjusting the tether on a ram he’s rearing. 

Each member of Namerock rears five rams individually on borrowed or family land  and once a year, they come together for a group sale, earning better prices and sharing profits equally. 

Their journey with EKYAN began through training in agribusiness, financial literacy, and cooperative management, supported by linkages to KCB Maralal. The initiative worked with them to transition from an informal youth group into a structured, financially disciplined enterprise. 

Beyond livestock, the group established a Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) that now serves as a micro-lender for members and non-members alike. It has become a trusted financial resource in Oporoi and a model of youth-led economic inclusion. 

“We’re not just earning we’re learning to lead,” says Thomas  group’s treasurer, who manages the loan records and contributions with confidence. 

Namerock’s approach is quietly challenging Samburu’s traditional norms. Women and youth living with disabilities now hold leadership positions, and the group’s success has inspired other young people to form similar collectives. Their next venture fodder production will not only boost income but help address chronic feed shortages across the region. 

In a region where opportunity once felt distant, Namerock Youth Group is demonstrating that ownership begins with ideas and that creativity, savings, and unity can overcome structural barriers. 

Hundreds of kilometres south west in Kenya, Nyalenda B is an informal settlement in Kisumu County, where the Gulf Youth Group is turning urban limitations into green opportunities. 

“We didn’t want to keep depending on our parents or the lake,” says Kevin Otieno, one of the founders. “We wanted to do something different something that lasts.” 

Through hands-on training in poultry farming, vegetable production, and financial literacy, members began by keeping three chickens each. Over time, they pooled their resources and built a shared poultry unit with over 300 birds. 

Each week, they sell about five crates of eggs, earning roughly KES 13,400, which they reinvest into feed, savings, and expansion. Their next goal is to acquire a solar-powered incubator to hatch chicks locally and scale sustainably. 

Alongside poultry, the group grows vegetables like kunde, managu, and spinach in conical gardens vertical structures ideal for tight urban spaces. 

"We used to think farming was for older people,” says Edith Achieng, the group’s treasurer. “Now we see it as a business. We track sales, manage feed costs, and negotiate with suppliers.” 

Edith, who is passionate about environmental conservation  has become one of the group’s most creative innovators. She transforms discarded bottles and containers into vertical gardens, turning her small compound into a demonstration site for other young people. 

“I love farming and I care about the environment,” Edith says. “I started using waste materials to grow food. Now I teach others how to do it too.” 

The Gulf Youth Group now meets weekly to share lessons and explore new market linkages. After showcasing their work, with support from EKYAN, at the Kisumu Agricultural Show, they gained partnerships with suppliers and agrovets proving that innovation can thrive even in the most crowded urban spaces. 

“It’s more than farming it’s a movement,” Kevin says. “We’re showing that even in a place like Nyalenda, youth can lead, earn, and grow.” 

A few kilometres from Busia town, the hum of activity in Sigomere carries a similar energy of transformation. Here, the Sigomere Youth Self-Help Group, led by Elvis Wabwire, has turned what began as scattered individual efforts into a shared enterprise of possibility. “Each of us was struggling alone,” Elvis recalls. “Some had a few chickens, others small gardens, but it was hard to grow.” 

That changed after the group engaged with training on poultry production and financial management. Inspired to pool their resources, they began with 100 chickens, selling half after maturity and reinvesting the profits into feed and housing. 

“We chose poultry because it’s something everyone here understands,” Elvis explains. “Chicken is part of our cultural diet popularly known as Ingoho and they are easy to manage even when money is tight.” 

Today, their poultry house holds more than 200 birds, generating about KES 2,500 weekly from egg and meat sales. Using their group savings, they’ve also leased half an acre of land to expand into vegetable farming, recycling poultry manure to reduce costs. Alongside production, members run a table banking system, lending to one another to support small businesses. 

But it’s their weekly gatherings that truly show transformation in motion. Every Friday, the group meets under a large tree near their poultry sheds. What began as savings check-ins has evolved into a mini-market day. Members bring eggs, vegetables, and crafts to sell or trade, drawing in neighbours and creating a small but lively marketplace. 

“These meetings have become our business days,” Elvis says. “We share ideas, we sell what we’ve grown, and we all leave with something even if it’s just motivation.” 

Through their unity, the Sigomere youth have become a local example of what collaboration can achieve. Each meeting doubles as a peer-learning session where members discuss feed costs, market prices, and loan repayments. Their next goal is to acquire an incubator and expand to 1,000 chickens, creating jobs for even more young people in the area. 

In a place where many once viewed farming as a fallback, Sigomere’s youth are redefining it as a pathway to dignity, income, and hope. 

Change is no longer coming to rural Kenya it’s already here. It’s in the confidence of young people who see opportunity in what’s around them, and in the solidarity that turns individual effort into collective strength. 

From agro-shops to conical gardens and youth-run markets, their stories reveal a truth that outlasts any project: that progress begins when people decide to build it themselves. 

The future of Kenya’s rural economy is being written in real time through courage, collaboration, and the quiet determination of a generation that has stopped waiting and started leading.