Girls in blue headscarves listening in a classroom

Empowering Young People to Thrive

Young people are at the centre of Africa’s future. Yet their ability to thrive is shaped by the opportunities, systems and environments around them.

The Case for Action

Population Council Kenya generates evidence to better understand the realities young people face and what works to improve their wellbeing and opportunities. Our research examines the barriers that can limit their potential, particularly among young people in underserved settings, while identifying approaches that strengthen resilience, equity and pathways to a better future. Central to this work is meaningful youth engagement. We seek to ensure that young people’s lived experiences and perspectives inform the research process and the development of solutions that affect their lives. Through this work, we generate evidence that can inform policies, strengthen programmes and support environments in which young people can thrive.

Young people in a classroom learning session

Focus Areas

Students in a classroom learning session

Education & Skills Development

Education

Education can shape the opportunities available to young people throughout their lives, yet access and outcomes remain unequal. Research in this area explores approaches that strengthen learning outcomes and support successful transitions through mentorship, digitally enabled solutions and community co-created models. It also examines pathways to equitable early childhood development and stronger alignment between education, skills and evolving industry needs.

Young people in a vocational training session

Youth Employment

Employment

The transition from learning to earning remains a critical challenge for many young people. Research focuses on scalable, context-responsive pathways that expand access to decent and sustainable livelihoods, while examining how gender, disability and rural–urban realities influence young people’s opportunities to participate in the economy.

Social Protection

Social protection can provide an important foundation for resilience, opportunity and wellbeing, particularly during periods of vulnerability and transition. Research in this area examines scalable models and their influence on young people’s outcomes, generating evidence on approaches that can strengthen resilience and advance equity.