Creating change in communities using sports, farming

Alfred Polo (Left) with beneficiaries of Alfred Polo Foundation (PHOTO: COURTESY)

NAIROBI, KENYA: Lack of job opportunities and unrest in schools are challenges Kenya deals with constantly.

The unemployment rate among youth in Kenya is high compared to many countries within and outside the continent.

According to the just released World Bank report on employment, compared to other countries in the world, the unemployment rate among the youth age (15-24 years) stands at 17 percent in Kenya.

Senegal stands at 14 per cent, Ghana 11 percent, with Pakistan and India at 10 per cent. Cambodia is the lowest at three percent after Burkina Faso Vietnam, Uganda and Tanzania ranging which average at six per cent.
"About 800,000 youth enter labor market every year, but the market offers only 625,000 new jobs," he added," reads the report.

This means that yearly about 175,000 graduates are not able to secure any type of job despite having qualification.

In an interview with the Standard Mr. Alfred Polo, the founder of Alfred Polo Foundation says unemployment rate among the youth is like a time bomb which needs to be addressed for peaceful coexistence in the society.

Through Alfred Polo Foundation, he works with youths across the country in projects around sports and farming to help them a true meaning of life.

“We realized that most youths are not being engaged properly, in some occasions this has led to cases such as crime and drug abuse which wastes many of them,” he says. “The government and sponsors need to work with like-minded NGO’s to introduce activities such as tournament and farming to keep our youths busy and self-reliant,” he added.

Currently Alfred Polo is working with youths from various parts of the country to champion change that has seen him initiate various groups and introduce activities such as farming and tournaments even at school level.

He says he established Alfred Polo Foundation in 2012 to address high unemployment rate among the youth but he also works with schools in offering mentorship programmes to students.

According to Polo the Foundation is now spread in Mombasa, Rift Valley, and Central and Nyanza regions.

 “The foundation was established in the year 2011 and later registered with the NGO board of Kenya on 25th of March, 2012 as per the regulations of the NGO Act. The foundation has been on the frontline to motivate both secondary and primary students and also offer inspirational talks amongst other activities which include; preservation of environment through tree planting, cleaning activities, engaging in sporting activities and competitions that promoting and nurturing leadership skills,’ he says.

“We have also been very keen in enhancing career guidance and counseling amongst the students as a way of helping them re-discovers their talents early and identify with suitable career of their interest and capability. This is done though partnership with other organizations and stakeholders which include involvement of other outstanding personalities, celebrities and volunteers of diverse cultural background.

“It is a fundamental believe and core foundation our organization that the youths of today can be nurtured into responsible, accountable and honest citizens of integrity,” he says.

In his dealings with the youth, he works with administration within identified area.  The youth identifies a project be it in farming or sports.

He says the foundation leases land on behalf of the groups and provide seedlings and let group members provide necessary human resource. The income generated is distributed among them to help them start a meaningful business.

“We have championed these projects among youths in different parts of the country and created change in employment, we intend to escalate our activities in all corners of the country to boost youth morale,” he said in an interview.

Mr. Polo says that drug is also a big issue that the foundation is focusing on by working with youths in regions such as Mombasa and Central provinces to address.