How a 24-hour economy will increase opportunities for youth in Kenya

Accessing opportunities is a major challenge for the youth in Kenya. Here, Winnie Kiratu shows how a 24-hour economy would provide an answer to this challenge.

Increasing opportunities for the youth in Kenya is a challenge we face regarding economic growth of the country. Many opportunities are present in the markets. The government is also contributing towards this by setting aside 30% of public procurement for the youth. This, however, seems to have little effect on the actual number of young people getting access to these opportunities.

The country has a lot of resources to offer and if we could adopt a 24-hour business model, I am positive that we could increase the opportunities available for the youth. Adopting a 24-hour economy translates to more employment through increased work shifts. The youth would get hired for either the day or the night shifts.

Every opportunity would translate to hiring two or three people as opposed to one. The security needed for this to take place would also mean more jobs for the youth in Kenya. Businesses would do away with closing hours. The resultant effect is that more employment opportunities will be created for the young people

The Government should also adopted a 24-hour system. Not only would Kenyans enjoy efficient and excellent services but Government would also tackle its task of job creation. The jobs created would increase purchasing power among the youth. Multiplier effects of this to our economy would be numerous. The youth in Kenya would be financially independent earlier in life. They would then contribute to the economy by building up savings and making investments.

This shift-based working system would also give young people the time and means to pursue further education. Added onto more schooling, their jobs which serve as vocational training would lead to highly skilled employees. These two factors would also boost the youth greatly when setting up their enterprises. A country that easily creates opportunities and exploits it’s resources fully and equitably will be the consequence.

I believe a 24-hour economy is the best means for getting the youth in Kenya employment and fostering entrepreneurship. The Government and the private sector have to join hands to realize this