Influence Of Entrepreneurship Training Projects On Economic Empowerment Of Adolescent Girls In Informal Settlements In Selected Community-Based Organization In Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

Many adolescent girls living in informal sectors in Kenya face considerable risks and vulnerabilities that affect their education status, health, and general well-being. Financial services strategies, employment strategies, life-skills and social support strategies have been cited as ways that adolescent girls can be empowered economically. There is increasing recognition that economically empowering women is essential both to realize women’s rights and to achieve broader development goals such as economic growth, poverty reduction, health, education and welfare. This study sought to investigate the influence of entrepreneurship training projects on economic empowerment of adolescent girls in informal settlements in Nairobi County, with a focus on selected community-based organizations. The specific objectives were to determine the influence of financial literacy training programs, vocational training programs, apprenticeship programs and life-skills training programs on economic empowerment of adolescent girls in informal settlements in Nairobi. The study was guided by the Theory of Change. The study adopted descriptive survey design. The target population was 160 adolescent girls and program officials in five selected community-based organizations in the informal settlements in Nairobi. The sample size was 113 subjects who were selected using proportional sampling technique. The study collected primary data using a questionnaire and interview guide. Before the actual data collection, a pilot study was conducted to test the reliability of the instruments and the validity of the questionnaire. The quantitative data was analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics. The descriptive statistics included the means, standard deviation, frequency and percentage distributions while in inferential statistics a regression analysis was undertaken. The quantatiative data was presented in tables while the qualitative data was categorized in themes in accordance with research objectives and reported in narrative form along with quantitative presentation. The study found out that financial literacy training programs harnessed the adolescent girls knowledge on how to control and manage their cash and savings. The study found out that vocational training programs had equipped the adolescent girls’ with business skills which strengthened their capacity to set up their own businesses. The study also found out that life skills training programs equipped girls with knowledge and skills in areas relevant to their lives, such as sexual and reproductive health, nutrition, and their rights.The regression results found out that there was a positive and statistically significant relationship between economic empowerment of the adolescent girls and financial literacy training (β=0.449 p=0.000), vocational training (β=0.404, p=0.000), apprenticeship training programs (β =0.115, p= 0.016). The study concludes that financial literacy training influences the economic empowerment of adolescent girls in informal settlements in Nairobi County. Vocational training programs also positively influenced the economic empowerment of adolescent girls in informal settlements in Nairobi County. It equipped the adolescent girls with relevant technical skills and business skills, which strengthened their capacity to set up their own businesses or enter into the formal labor market. The study recommends that that there is need to provide adequate resources to the CBOs offering entrepreneurship training projects to the adolescent girls so that they can adequately carry out the training programmes to girls in the informal settlements in Nairobi County. Future programs should plan for a follow-up strategy to sustain the long-term impact on the girls as well as ongoing support.