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{
    "id": 834022,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/834022/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 92,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Isiolo CWR, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Ms.) Rehema Jaldesa",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 601,
        "legal_name": "Rehema Dida Jaldesa",
        "slug": "rehema-dida-jaldesa"
    },
    "content": "I will start by saying that the population of youth stands at 20.3 per cent. Therefore, we cannot afford to ignore the youth. The youth are known to be innovators. They have very bright ideas which can cause havoc to this country if not properly utilised. Youths are dynamic by nature. They are risk takers. They are very energetic. For that reason, we have encountered a lot of problems in this country because the youth are idle. They finish school, have nowhere to go and loiter around. It makes it a disaster. The funds that are established like the Youth Enterprise Development Fund and the Uwezo Fund, we need to relook at their framework. In some of the counties like Isiolo, most of the youths who have borrowed money from these funds have no capacity to repay. The funds become loaded with bad debts. It even scares some youth who want to borrow because of that history. The issue of a fund is not really an issue as such. The issue is how we look at this fund in a more strategic way. If possible, we should make the fund a seed fund so that the youth can just borrow money as grants and start businesses that are mentored by the Government. The Woman Representatives are told to cater for the youth and the marginalised, but the funds that were given are so little that we cannot do much. Unfortunately, counties like Isiolo or Lamu have only two constituencies. It makes it a challenge to reach out to the vulnerable groups. My biggest appeal is that instead of just establishing a fund, we should establish a seed fund that the youth can borrow money from as grants instead of the current funds, which insists on loans. Due to lack of opportunities and unemployment, the youth of this country have ventured into so many illegal activities. In Isiolo County, we are dealing with a rise of radicalisation. We have had youths joining illegal groups like Al Shabaab . Many of them have left this country to go to Somalia. When you follow it up, these are youths who are educated. Some of them have gone to school up to university, but cannot get employment opportunities and they get frustrated. Unfortunately, my County of Isiolo is ranking second to Lamu. Again, this is because when the youth go for interviews, they are told they must have three years of experience. Where do you get three years of experience if you cannot even get an internship? I move from one office to the other every day looking for internships, but they are so difficult to get. Therefore, youth unemployment is a disaster and I request this honourable House to declare it so. Thank you so much, Hon. Deputy Speaker."
}