Life. Opportunity. Hope.

LIFE .OPPORTUNITY. HOPE
Background
ASAL regions in subsaharan Africa usuallly have sporadic torential rainfalls resulting to localised flash floods and later followed by prolonged dry spells.This kind rains have been for a long time seen as more of  a curse than a blessing to the farmers in the affected regions.however,with time, ideas have been raised of how this menace could be a blessing in disguise.water can be harvested using reservours to be used in various forms of farming.

Our group was started in 2008 and our major objective has been creating employment opportunities for the youths through creativity and deligence.Currently we  have a membership of 100 youths.Together we are running a vegetable farm at Ntrukuma,Nanyuki, Kenya.To expand our project we intend to introduce fish farming to utilise the uncultivated part of the land.this will create capacity to enroll more members.

In this groupfarm-was donated to the group by the area counsulor- we intend to construct two major reservours on both sides of the farm.these will be used to harvest water when it rains.
This area is also served by a piped water system going by the name Ntrukuma  water project.The water is sourced from the upstream of Nanyuki river at the slopes of Mt Kenya and is not treated to any chemicals since it was from the start intended for irrigation on the farms in this area.To gain access to the system members are required only to pay the initial cost and the piping cost then the can have their farm connected and water starts running from their taps.This water can be used to suppliment the harvested rain water as a source of fresh water.Fingerings will be bought from Wambugu farm which is located in the neighbouring Nyeri District.
Five fish ponds will be constructedto ensure  good returns.fingerings will be introduced in stages at different time of the year so that they mature at different times.This will ensure a sustainable source of employment and hence income for the youths.
our target market will include:

• Final consumers-domestic households
• fish traders-local grillers,fast food joints,restaurants,local hotels

A mature fish sells for about kes 100 - 250 in nanyuki.our target is to be able to produce 5000 fish every season.
the water from the fish ponds can be recycled by being allowed to drain in the reservour and then pumped back where it can flow to the ponds again..it may also be used to irrigate vegetables on the cultivated part of the land which the group has been running initially.
We also intend to open a fast food joint at Nanyuki town centre as a strategy to expanding our opportunities.this will also serve as a source of market for our other products -the vegetables and now fish.
some of the vegetables will be used at the fast food joint and some sold to earn more income for the group.

need assesment
Most countries in Africa are experiencing economical dificulties and among the reults is ever rising levels of youth unemployment.Among the causes of youth unemployment includelack of enough higher education institutions  to absorb all the graduates from the various levels of education.this results in alot of wastage-an indication of the high inefficency of the education systems.
Population growth in urban areas has caused congestion and hence stiff competition for the same jod vacancies in these areas causing a lot of unemployment the youths being the most affected due to factors like working experience that put them to the disadvantage.

consequences of youth unemployment

 Wastages of resources used to train and educate  the youths upto the basic level since they fail to get an opportunity to further.When graduates lack a place to be absorbed there is alot of idlers laying around with nothing to do.as usual an idle mind is the devil's workshop so alot of crime ,drug peddling and abuse results.
Lost dreams and hopes makes the youths feel helpless and some are even suicidal.They feel that they  are trapped in a poverty trap.The society and the leadership in general have a collective responsibility to ensure that these young brains and the energy they have do not go to waste.More so,the youths themselves have to take contol of their lives.
This can be done by introduction of projects that would create employment for the youths.

Ichuga youth project: fish and vegetables farming,combined with fastfood

overall goal

restoring hopes for our youths by create employment opportunies for the youths .

specific objectives

to create employment opportunities with sustainability as key factor.

to reduce cases of drug abuse and rehabilitating those who are already into drugs.

empowering the youths with ideas and information to take controll of their lives.

required resources

• we already have a 2 acre piece of land to set up the project
• services-most of it will be provided by the group members
• fingerings- bought from wambugu farm
• nonporous paper to cover the base of the reservour.
• fish feeds
• nets- fishing nets and drying nets.
• materials to build the storage house on the farm and an office.
• stationeris for proper book keeping--members register,work schedule register  ,finance records, project policies and future target records

For the fast food joint

• six wooden tables- the members can raise 200 kes = $2.7 to start with, to finance their purchase
• 24 seats-we already have the seats which we have been using in previous meetings
• energy saving jikos- to be bought at kes 150 = $ 1.5
• utencils

business case
Fish(tilapia and trout which we intend to keep) take six to nine months to mature to a size that can be marketed.The net used for fishing have large spacing to ensure only the mature fish are harvested and the young ones are left to mature hence ensuring sustainability of the project.
If we manage to produce 5000 fish per season we would be able to raise KeS 1000 000 .
Fish produced for consumption should be harvested when they reach market size. In Kenya, tilapia are ready for harvesting within six to nine months depending on the size at stocking, target harvest size, water temperature and level of management employed.That means two seasons every year with the proper input and energy we intend to invest in the project.The earnings would be enough to the pay group members a reasonable wage  every month and some go to savings.

The fast food joint when well established would make an average net income of 3000 per day after all the expenses have been subtructed since it will be located in the town centre.That would equal to 90 000 per month.Some of the expenditures would include 6000@ month as house rent so making a daily saving of 200 would do.Other initial expenditures would include the cost of registering the business and meeting the requirements of the mininstry of health and sanitation.
The sale of the vegetables  makes an average net monthly income of aproximately Kes 20,000 from the sale of onions,tomatoes,corriaders and cabbages.
all the earnings from the proceeding  are deposited  in the group bank account and used to pay the members and the services rendered to the group by other agencies.


real world impact

• the ultimate impacts that it will create employment and hence a source of income for the youths
• reducing crime rates and indulges in drug pedling and abuse
• its a motivation to the youths since theyget achance to learn that theres still hope even if they fail to secure an opportunity to enroll for higher education.they can still be self employed and earn a decent livelihood.
• education forums provided to the youths equip them with the necesarrylife skills and knowledge in such sensitive issues such as their sexuality,drug abuse and consequences,abortion and many more. 
• money saved in the bank over time may be used to hell the youths to enroll into tertiary education empowering them with ability to secure better employment and regain their dreams.
• the project would serve as an example that could be emulated in other parts of Sub saharan Africa to greate youth employment.

The money from ARC Contest will be used to implement the expansion plan on our project.we will buy input for the fis farming project and pay for the initial cost of starting the fast food joint in town.