Plastic chairs scraped concrete as youth leaders from Nyayo Highrise, Mugumu-ini, Karen, South C, and Nairobi West found places in the circle. Under ETCO’s umbrella, they had come to speak with Hon. Oduk Oginga Oduk about something practical: how young people across Lang’ata Constituency can move from good intentions to programmes that last — not one-off events, but work that pays tomorrow’s rent.
Hon. Oduk did not pretend that “start small” is enough without cash on the table. He spoke plainly about seed money — grants or loans — as the difference between an idea sketched on paper and a stall that opens. He pushed for youth to stay in groups, not because unity sounds nice in a speech, but because lenders and partners look for teams that can account for every KSh.
He also promised to use his networks where he can — introductions, phone numbers, doors opened a crack for ideas that are serious and sustainable. The room did not empty out into instant contracts; real life is slower than that. But a morning of honest questions beats another month of guessing alone.
If you mentor young entrepreneurs, fund small grants, or know a programme that matches skills with start-up capital, reach out. Youth are not “the future” in a poster sense — they are the ones balancing M-PESA ledgers today.
