Garissa Youth (G-YOUTH) Project Quarterly Project Report October 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012

(EDC) in Garissa, Kenya, with support from USAID/Kenya. The project aims to create enabling environments that empower youth to design and lead initiatives that improve economic opportunities for themselves and their communities. The project is structured around four program components: Youth Action, Youth Work, Youth Education, and Youth Civics. Youth Action is a key component of the project, focusing on supporting youth to design and lead the development of their own community initiatives through capacity building to youth groups and a small grants fund. The grants fund was launched in November 2011 with the local partner, the Kenyan Community and Development Foundation (KCDF), who administered and managed the grants and scholarships. The objective of the grants fund was to enable the youth of Garissa to become active participants in the design and implementation of programs and services that impact their lives, the future generation of youth, and communities in Garissa. The Youth Action component also includes the Youth Action Summit and Regional Action Plan, which brings together youth leaders to discuss and develop regional action plans. Additionally, G-YOUTH's Leadership Camp for Youth Leaders provides training and capacity building for youth leaders. Community Connectors, who are youth who have worked with the project, play a crucial role in facilitating community engagement and participation. Youth Work is another critical component of the project, focusing on increasing the numbers of Garissan youth with greater access to livelihood opportunities and who are better prepared to enter and succeed in the world of work. The project seeks to achieve this through various activities, including the implementation of a re-adapted work readiness program, peer educator training and recruitment, basic ICT training, and young professional development programs. Youth Education is also a key component of the project, aiming to increase youth retention and transition to secondary schools and higher education. The project focuses on in-school youth (ISY) programs, such as the "Empowering Students' Futures" program, and provides scholarships for youth to pursue higher education. Additionally, the project offers English as a Second Language (ESL) training for madrassa youth. Youth Civics is the final component of the project, promoting principles and practices of tolerance and peaceful coexistence among diverse communities through interactive radio education and building youth's skills in developing and producing civic-themed radio programs that address issues important to them. The project also focuses on training and building youth capacities to work in radio, as well as interactive radio instruction (IRI) programs. The project's monitoring and evaluation team focused on various activities during the quarter, including conducting surveys and focus group discussions to assess the project's impact and effectiveness. The project also established a private sector advisory council (PSAC) to provide guidance and support to the project. Overall, the G-YOUTH Project is a comprehensive initiative that aims to empower youth in Garissa, Kenya, to become active participants in the design and implementation of programs and services that impact their lives and communities. The project's four components - Youth Action, Youth Work, Youth Education, and Youth Civics - work together to achieve this goal, and the project's monitoring and evaluation team is committed to assessing the project's impact and effectiveness.