Covid-19 inspired me to tackle youth unemployment.

Martin Kabugi graduated from high in 2019 with hopes of joining university in 2020 September. In January 2020, Martin was introduced to Garden of Hope Foundation by one of his friends. He immediately enrolled to join the leadership and entrepreneurship class while looking forward to his first day in the university later in the year.

His anxious wait was cut short when the first case of Covid19 was reported in Kenya and all learning institutions closed.  “In May 2020, I decided to travel upcountry to start a poultry farming project. The project was inspired by the fact that during my childhood days in the village I used to help my parents rear chicken. I needed something to do as I wait for 2021 to join university. My passion and the entrepreneurship knowledge and skills I gained from the entrepreneurship program by the Garden of Hope Foundation also played a key role in helping me develop the project idea.”  He shares.

“It has been four months of work in my poultry farm. Youths from my community have approached me on many occasions seeking advice on how to start and run such project. From the interactions, I motivated in seeing that my actions have been encouraging and positively challenging peers around me to start projects like mine and even coming up with better projects.  My business vision is to reduce the rate of youth unemployment in my community”

Through this project, I will be able to assist my parents in paying my school fees while the rest of the money will be used in other pressing issues.

I am glad to say that my project is tackling sustainable development goal eight (decent work and economic growth). I want to give credit to the Garden of Hope Foundation for equipping me with the skills and knowledge. I didn’t know I can be able do such an amazing job.