Young Movers Beaded Art Work Enterprise: Entrepreneurship for Self Employment in Kenya

Abstract

According to 2016 World Bank Annual Report, the future of Kenya’s competitiveness in the global economy remains bleak as the country struggles to contain the heaviest youth unemployment burden in East Africa. Kenya recorded 39.1 percent unemployment rate according to 2017 report by United Nations; Human Development Index (HDI). The latest statistics continue to reflect a shockingly high youth unemployment rate due to harsh economic and political environment. As so many addicts and former addicts have discovered, there is a strong relationship between alcohol/drug abuse and unemployment. The fact is that unemployment heightens a person’s likelihood to drink, smoke, or have a drug addiction. In order to address the highlighted unemployment challenges. In Kenya today, and by extension many parts of Africa, young people are no longer guaranteed any meaningful employment after graduating from training institutions. They are increasingly expected to explore their own talents and exploit any opportunities available, in order to break-off from the white-collar job seeking norm. Young people are expected to be more enterprising and innovative thus utilize locally available materials in order to make ends meet. In an attempt to respond to these societal challenges, Young Movers Beaded Art Work Enterprise (YMBAWE) was born with the main aim of providing an opportunity to unemployed youths to explore their talents in art work thus generate little income for subsistence. YMBAWE is an upcoming Kenyan hand crafted beaded art enterprise, located at the outskirts of Mathare slums within Kiamaiki ward in Nairobi City, Kenya. Each product at YMBAWE is handcrafted in limited edition batches to provide much sought-after appeal to the pieces, while offering unique designs that are handmade to the highest standards possible. The products include beaded flowers, plants, hair clips, wall frames, wall clocks, logo designs and other artifacts. The raw materials include simple beads, wires, metals, hangers, card boards, glass materials and plastic planters. Most of these raw materials are acquired from the waste materials. This further contributes immensely to environmental conservation. These products add value, ambiance and long lasting beauty to any environment such as offices, homes, hotels, wedding, anniversary parities and all manner of events. As opposed to natural flowers which are highly perishable, a beaded flower comes in almost all required color codes and can stay as long as the owner wants to continue using it. YMBAWE has so far employed six (6) young people and four (4) individuals to oversee its operations. The vision is to provide employment for at least five hundred (500) young people by the year 2022.