Why Uhuruto Administration should mentor youth.

This piece was inspired by a youth-related seminar I attended recently. We are often watched but rarely seen. The jobs go to the aged - fellows of uncertain age but certainly not a day below 70.

Now that there are no jobs for the youths, is it not time to see their gifts and acknowledge their wounds? Most youths today have no clue of their talents or gainful projects they can engage in to transform their lives. The youths should be given the opportunity to participate in life-skills workshops with employees paid for by the government who are trained as mentors.

The government's effort must be so conducive for mentors and mentees to engage in deeper conversation about what’s going on in their lives. They grow up believing that only white -collar jobs are gainful employment. Most parents in this country are too poor to finance their children to talent academies and instead take them to school to study professional careers. The number of students graduating from these schools do not match the slowly shrinking Kenyan job market.

The state can also motivate corporates to come in by developing initiatives like Corporate Mentoring Challenge- where special recognition is given to companies whose employees engage in mentoring youth.

This will greatly address unemployment and tame the ever rising crime levels in the country, mostly committed by frustrated youngsters. However, mentoring our youths should never be a substitute for a caring family, community support, or a concerted youth policy agenda.