Mvita Constituency youth leader Mohammed Hussein during a youth development forum at Majengo, Mombasa on Monday. [Photo/ Maxwell Ngala]
Youth in Mombasa have been urged to take advantage of government funds to initiate business projects.Mvita Constituency youth leader Mohammed Hussein said only a few youth have used the funds to start various income-generating projects within the county.Speaking after meeting various youth groups in Mvita on Monday, Hussein, famously known by his peers as ‘Amadoh’, said it was only through various business projects that youth in the constituency and Mombasa at large will overcome the economic challenges they face.He said youth leaders in the constituency have approached Mvita MP Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir who has provided assistance by creating awareness and enabling youth to take up loans.“We have the Youth Enterprise Development Fund, the Uwezo Fund among other various funds targeting the youth.We should take up the challenge and uplift our lives,” said Hussein.The youth leader said over 300 youth groups in Mvita have benefited from the Youth Fund. He, however, said the number was still low and urged more youth to apply for the funds.“With products like Talanta loans where an individual or a group of youth in the creative or performing arts can benefit from Sh100,000 to Sh2,000 000 loans, youth have no reason to decry economic hardships,” he added.He said the Youth Enterprise Development fund recently launched an individual start-up loan known as ‘Vuka start-up' where youth who wish to start business projects get from Sh100,000 to Sh2,000 000.“We should now focus more on developing ourselves rather than developing our politicians,” he added.