For thousands of young people in rural and underserved communities, acquiring skills is only the first step towards economic independence.

The bigger challenge is finding pathways from training to jobs, markets and sustainable enterprises.

A community-led development model is seeking to address this gap by combining digital skills, entrepreneurship, employment linkages and green innovation.

The approach has been developed by Empower and Serve Kenya (EmpServe), which was founded in 2016 to connect young people and underserved communities with skills, technology, opportunities and resources aimed at supporting sustainable livelihoods.

The organisation says its programmes and partnerships now cover 10 counties, with more than 10,000 people having accessed training and skills development opportunities since 2017.

According to EmpServe, more than 3,000 beneficiaries have transitioned into jobs and enterprises through its employment intermediation and market-linkage programmes.

The approach is being expanded through the Social Innovation Eco-Village (SIEVE) in Enduata, Kajiado County. The initiative brings together technology, entrepreneurship, sustainable livelihoods, indigenous knowledge and environmental conservation.

SIEVE is intended to demonstrate how communities can develop locally relevant responses to economic and environmental challenges while drawing on local knowledge and resources.

At the centre of the initiative is a solar-powered digital resource centre serving the off-grid Enduata community. Schoolchildren are accessing digital skills and coding through Code Clubs, providing an early introduction to technology and digital careers.

The wider approach is organised around four pillars: Equip, Ignite, Bridge and Thrive.

The Equip pillar includes programmes such as DigiLabs and Code Clubs, which provide digital, computing and entrepreneurship skills alongside career-readiness training, mentorship and business support.

DigiLabs has grown into a network of 24 digital resource hubs in last-mile communities. The centres focus particularly on young women, providing training in ICT, coding and online entrepreneurship, with the aim of opening opportunities in remote work, digital businesses and technology careers.

The Ignite pillar focuses on young entrepreneurs and women-led micro, small and medium enterprises, providing practical support intended to help turn business ideas into viable enterprises.

The model also recognises that training alone does not necessarily lead to income.

The Bridge pillar therefore focuses on connecting skilled young people with markets, employers and customers. Platforms such as EmpowerSoko and EmpowerHub provide pathways into enterprise and digital work.

The Thrive pillar focuses on broader conditions that can support economic and social resilience. Its programmes cover areas including food security, peacebuilding, climate change and environmental conservation.

SIEVE forms part of this pillar, with green technologies and indigenous knowledge being applied alongside digital and economic interventions.

EmpServe says the approach involves working with communities to develop solutions rather than imposing projects from outside.

At SIEVE, this includes demonstrations of solar energy systems, natural cob-building techniques, smart rainwater harvesting and climate-smart agriculture.

The model also involves training local trainers who can continue passing on skills after individual projects end.

One example is the Code Club programme, which trained 230 educators across Murang’a, Kiambu and Kajiado counties. The programme subsequently established 117 school-based Code Clubs and 22 community Code Clubs, supported by 20 technology mentors.

Partnerships have also supported the expansion of the programmes. They include collaborations with the Ministry of ICT and Digital Economy, Raspberry Pi Foundation, Women WorldWide Web, Global Philanthropy Alliance, Earth Allies Restoration Network, United People Global and the Association of Countrywide Innovation Hubs.

EmpServe has also worked with the European Union on youth leadership, mobility and exchange initiatives. Research collaborations with institutions including MIT, Kenyatta University, Arizona State University and Riara University have supported innovation and knowledge exchange, according to the organisation.

The next challenge is whether the model can be replicated in other parts of the country, particularly areas facing similar issues around unemployment, digital exclusion and climate vulnerability.

EmpServe says the SIEVE model is designed to be modular and could be adapted for other arid and semi-arid areas and marginalised communities.

Its plans include increasing employment transitions to 50 per cent, expanding corporate hiring partnerships, strengthening support for digital-skills graduates and establishing Code Clubs in more counties.

The organisation also hopes to position SIEVE as a regional innovation destination and establish an Innovation Week bringing together government, academia, industry and innovators.

The approach ultimately seeks to address the gap between skills and economic opportunity by connecting young people not only to training but also to markets, employers and resources that can help them turn those skills into livelihoods.