IMPACT OF PARTICIPATORY COMMUNICATION ON YOUTH EMPOWERMENT IN KENYA: A CASE STUDY OF THE BENEFICIARIES OF THE KCB 2JIAJIRI PROGRAMME

ABSTRACT
This study sought to examine how KCB Bank manages to have the successful youth empowerment programme called 2Jiajiri youth empowerment initiative where young people are empowered to own enterprises that even empower other youth. The study was guided the Participatory Communication Theory as proposed by Paulo Freire who makes a compelling argument that all the stakeholders in the development agenda or campaigns need to be engaged in the process of project implementation. The study was guided by the following objectives: to investigate how participatory communication was utilised to contribute to youth empowerment; to analyse how the implementers of 2jiajiri programme executed their roles towards participatory communication and youth empowerment; to identify the determinants of successful participatory communication for youth empowerment and finally; to investigate what the appropriate communication channels for youth empowerment are. Mixed research design was used because of its ability to allow respondents to explicitly give their opinions. The study was carried out in Nairobi County, where Nairobi was selected because it is the hub of banking, where the headquarters of KCB Bank is and where the implementers of the 2jiajiri programme are. A census of 117 respondents was selected; that is 104 beneficiaries of the programme and 13 implementers of 2jiajiri programme. Data was collected using questionnaires comprising of both open-ended and closed-ended questions and information obtained was presented on tables. The study made three key findings: 87% of the respondents perceived that both the beneficiaries and implementers of the programme need to synchronise their objectives so as to work towards a common goal and be totally committed towards it. 78% of the respondents stated that the use of mentors in the training sessions was motivating and provided a chance for participatory communication through dialogue. 100% of the respondents agreed that key messages that target the youth spurs the youth to get interested and involved in the empowerment projects. The study recommends that 2jiajiri programme should continue sieving out beneficiaries whose objective is not geared towards self-empowerment since there were some respondents who hoped to get formal employment after the training programme. Lastly, the study recommends that there is need to increase mentorship sessions during training of the youth so as to have sufficient time to engage them in dialogue; here can participate fully in providing solutions to their own problem and owning up the process.