Addressing the needs of rural youth is gathering attention with international development agencies, donors and private companies supporting new initiatives by governmental and non-governmental organizations in many parts of the world and in Africa in particular. Issues surrounding rural youths such as limited access to educational services, dependency on mainly unpaid labour in family farms and working in the informal sector as well as the considerable impact of migration on their livelihoods - especially affecting young women- have been widely recognized as significant. There is overall agreement that if youth issues are not addressed high rates of youth unemployment and under-employment will persist and overall development in African countries could be negatively affected. In this context and in line with its 2011 – 2015 Strategic Framework, The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), in partnership with PROCASUR Africa, organized an eight day learning route on Innovative ideas and approaches to integrate Rural Youth in Agriculture. The progress in Kenya between the 11th to the 18th of August 2014. The aim of this Learning Route was to contribute to lesson-sharing and learning at country and regional level in order to build technical capacities within IFAD´s operations and partners in the ESA region on innovative strategies and approaches to engage rural youth in agriculture, increase employment and reduce poverty. One of the host case studies of this learning route was the Kenya Youth-to-Youth Fund - Entrepreneurship development organization which aims to provide youth led organizations with both funding and capacity building, thereby enabling them to move from being passive recipients and become active participants in the promotion and creation of youth employment

1. “Empower – Connect – Prosper”
An Introduction to USTADI
USTADI – Learning Route
16th August, 2014
George Mazuri
Chief Executive Officer

2. Presentation Outline

3. Background (CDS environments in Kenya)
 AAA (Accra Agenda for Action – MDGs) and
 Paris Declaration Aid Effectiveness
 Most funds for CD is spent at national level
 Most services designed between funder and
service provider
 Providers are concentrated in 1-2 major towns.
Overall conclusion:
For local actors, the CD ‘market’ is erratic, difficult to access, not transparent
and quality of services unpredictable and too costly.
Overall conclusion:
For local actors, the CD ‘market’ is erratic, difficult to access, not transparent
and quality of services unpredictable and too costly.

4. Aga Khan Foundation
WATER SERVICES TRUST FUND (WSTF)
ICEBERG Consultants
COBTRAD
Enterprise Fund
Consortium Members

5. USTADI – Who are We?
• The Kenya Local Capacity Development Facility- Now Known
Locally (branded) as USTADI - www.ustadi.org . Ustadi is a
Kiswahili word for being ‘Skilful’,
• Part of a Global Network of initiatives – the LCDFs
• A response to systemic bottlenecks in the CDS environment in
Kenya. (access, quality; standards) of CDS
FOCUS: Mainly sub-national/Rural level.

6. Why USTADI? - Strategic Drivers
1. Inadequate Demand in the market for CDS
o Information on opportunities, actors and intelligence
o Market barriers such as it is unaffordable, inappropriate,
unavailable or out of reach.
2. Inadequate Supply of quality CDS in the market
o Information, Availability, Pricing, Attitude, Quacks vs Standards
2. Distorted CD market
o due to development partners / funders demanding capacity
development

7. What do we do?
• Promotes CD as the “CORE” and not as an “ADD-ON”
• Empower Rural entrepreneurs to use professional CDS to
support their enterprises for increased incomes & profits.
Products and Services
Market Facilitation Services
Enhancing the local service environment to
create better linkages between supply and
demand of services
Capacity
Development
Markets
Online tender portal and
Online tender portal and
expert directory
(PREXKenya.com)
expert directory
(PREXKenya.com)
TA Support & Investment
Management Services
Facilitating Capacity Development:
Cost sharing matching fund for smallholders
Rural Organizations acquiring
Business & Professional Services

8. www.prexkenya.com (virtual online platform)

9. Slogan: Empower – Connect - Prosper
pprroossppeerr pprroossppeerr
Demand Side
(Users of Services)
Demand Side
(Users of Services)
Supply Side
Supply Side
(Providers of Services)
(Providers of Services)
Key Questions
What CDS gaps?
Key Questions
What CDS gaps?
Is it info?
Availability?
Affordability?
Standards? Etc.
Is it info?
Availability?
Affordability?
Standards? Etc.
Key Questions
Key Questions
Is the supply available?
Is the supply aware?
Can it match the gaps?
Is the supply available?
Is the supply aware?
Can it match the gaps?
Quality?
Quality?
What are supply gaps? etc
What are supply gaps? etc
CCoonnnneecctt

10. USTADI and the Y2Y Fund
USTADI
USTADI
Rural Enterprises
Professional CDS
Employment
Rural Enterprises
Professional CDS
Employment
Markets
Markets
Increased incomes
Increased incomes
Improved
livelihoods
Improved
livelihoods
COMMON
Rural Focus
Innovation
Youth
Enterprises
Employment
Increased
incomes
livelihoods
Y2Y FUND
Rural Youth
Innovation
Enterprises/busi
Y2Y FUND
Rural Youth
Innovation
Enterprises/busi
nesses
CDS
Markets
Employment
nesses
CDS
Markets
Employment

11. Main Activities and Results

12. Markets = Businesses = Employment

13. Thank You

14. Core Values
• Empowering: Strengthening community members to articulate CD they
need and demand quality for the same, while at the same time
strengthening the suppliers of CDS to adequately respond to the needs.
• Quality (excellence): Facilitating the development and practice of
quality standards for service providers to improve products and enhance
income.
• Uniting (connect): Providing physical and virtual forums for capacity
development actors (demand, supply and support services) to freely
interact.
• Innovation: Encouraging and nurturing new and appropriate
technologies that are sensitive to the local context
• Partnership: Working through a strong network of partners at all levels
for sustainability and synergy.