Empower - Challenge to design a skill development center for youth

Youth unemployment

There are almost 7,50,000 young adults in Kenya getting into the job market annually, and they form one of the highest numbers getting into the job market worldwide. But the amount of youth that secures a job is only 15 per cen%, which is creating a situation where the amount of potential is higher than the jobs available, which is resulting in social and economical imbalance. 

Overall, Kenya’s youth unemployment is higher than the national unemployment average: 17.7 % of youth are unemployed, where the national rate is 7.4 %. 

Further, 21 % of female youth are unemployed compared to 17 % of their male counterparts. Thus, making Kenya's most powerful resource a weakness. During 2013, the NEET rate for youth aged 15-34 years was estimated at 29 %, meaning close to 5 million youth was not in education, employment, or training in 2015. 

While this issue springs from a much deeper problem of illiteracy, education systems, overpopulation, and resources provided by the region/country, how can we tackle it through the lens of a problem solver and architect?

Brief of the Competition

There is a need to create a sustainable approach to educate the youth with marketable skills.

To create and teach such skills to this large number of youth there is a need for a dedicated space that will help them build these skills. 

Brief: This challenge aims to create a skill development center for the youth of Kenya. 

Space will be focused on creating a community space that will provide the youth with a common platform to gather, work and learn together. 

The challenge is to create a space that will aid the process of skill learning and also function as a multifunctional space that will also act as a gathering space for social engagement of the youth under one roof. 

Prizes

Winner 6000$ 

Runner - Up - 1400$ x 6 

People's Choice - 600$ x 4 

Honorable Mention - 600$ x 12

Learn More - https://bit.ly/empower-challenge