The role of youth enterprise development fund on the growth of youth enterprises:a case of Maara constituency, Tharaka Nithi County
Abstract
he study sought to establish the role of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund (YEDF) on the growth of Youth Enterprises. The main objectives of the study were: to establish whether the startup loans from the youth enterprise development fund has influenced the growth of youth enterprise in Mara constituency, evaluate whether the enterprises Maara constituency, to establish if access to business mentorship programs from youth enterprise Maara Constituency, and to determine whether market linkage services from the youth enterprise development fund has influenced the growth of enterprises in Maara Constituency.This paper reports results of the study involving questionnaires used in collection of quantitative information from youths running enterprises from YEDF in Tharaka Nithi County, Maara Constituency.The study used multiple regression analysis to test the hypothesis and the p-value from test statistic was used to determine whether there was any relationship which could be attributed to the ordinary random factors or not. The study provides information regarding the effect of the YEDF on startup loans, entrepreneurship training, access mentorship programs and market linkage services on the growth of youth enterprises. The study therefore sought to establish if the objectives had been accomplished and the gaps which existed in order to make recommendations on the way forward regarding the YEDF.The results of the study indicate that the independent variables affect the dependent variable positively. However in conclusion , the study points out that increase in loans given to the youths and regular training programmes would positively affect growth of the enterprises in a bigger way. Establishment of policies at the county and national level in line with the findings would assist the youth to establish and sustain enterprises and, enable the management of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund come up with programs that would help promote the growth of youth enterprises. The findings of the study would also enable the management of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund manage the fund effectively and efficiently.