Women and young people are underserved by financial institutions in the region and often lack the skills to start or grow a business. We are changing that.
Improved access to microfinance
Lack of access to microfinance is a major stumbling block for women and youth who want to start or grow a business, including rural youth in agriculture. The key drivers are a lack of assets and collateral, and the perceived risk of lending to women and young people.
Skills development and vocational training
Without the right set of skills, running and growing a business is nearly impossible. Vocational education and training improves employability and opens up new livelihood options for young people. Paired with a strong enabling environment, entrepreneurship training drives new businesses in rural areas.
VOPA has trained and equipped six cross-border women's groups with business start-up kits — six chest deep freezers, six juice dispensers and twelve blenders — so they can start and run their own businesses. In April 2022 we trained 50 cross-border youth to operate interlocking-brick production machines and provided the machines as start-up kits for income-generating activities.
We link trained youth to livelihood programmes and institutions such as Banisa and Mandera Polytechnic, creating employment and reducing the number of young people drawn into drugs and crime.
Entrepreneurship programmes
We encourage capital formation at community level by promoting small enterprises through capacity building and direct financial support — including interest-free soft loans and revolving funds — so vulnerable community members can launch income-generating activities and become self-employed.
Key initiatives
- Microfinance access for women and youth
- Vocational and technical skills training
- Business start-up kits for women's groups
- Interlocking-brick technology for youth employment
- Interest-free soft loans and revolving funds
- Linkages to polytechnics and livelihood programmes
