EMPLOYMENT CREATION BY NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS AND YOUTH POVERTY ERADICATION IN TAITA TAVETA COUNTY, KENYA: A CASE OF ACTION AID KENYA.

Youth poverty remains a major development concern in rural Kenya, where limited access to decent employment and income-generating opportunities constrains young people's economic security. This study examined the influence of employment creation initiatives on youth poverty eradication in Taita Taveta County, Kenya, with a keen interest of Action Aid Kenya. The journal is drawn from a wider study on NGO economic initiatives and youth poverty eradication in Taita Taveta County, but focuses exclusively on the first objective: to assess the influence of employment creation on youth poverty eradication in Taita Taveta County. The study adopted a descriptive research design and collected quantitative and qualitative data. The target population comprised Action Aid Kenya employees serving in the county, leaders of youth groups, and a county government key informant. A sample of 53 respondents participated, comprising seven Action Aid employees, 45 youth group leaders and one county government key informant. Semi-structured questionnaires and an interview schedule were used. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation and regression analysis, while qualitative information was analyzed thematically. The findings indicate that Action Aid Kenya supported employment creation through mentorship, start-up support, job-search information, vocational opportunities and professional networking, although the intensity of these interventions varied. Respondents particularly perceived entrepreneurship support, youth involvement in programme decisions and job-market readiness positively, while employer linkages and sustainability of employment outcomes remained weaker areas. Employment creation was strongly and positively associated with youth poverty eradication (r = .879). In the multiple regression model reported in the original study, employment creation had a positive coefficient (β = .146, p = .013), indicating a positive association with youth poverty eradication after accounting for the other economic initiatives in that model. Qualitative findings similarly pointed to gains in employability, confidence and self-employment, alongside constraints related to capital, programme awareness, labour-market mismatch and sustainability. The article concludes that employment creation initiatives can contribute to youth poverty reduction when employment support is connected to practical skills, enterprise opportunities and stronger labour-market linkages.