Youth Revolving Fund Implementation in Chalia District, West Shoa Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia: Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

Due to over increasing youth unemployment it was implied that the need to prepare and introduce a number of measures that would allow rational utilization of countries resources. This paper is aimed to identify challenges and opportunities of youth revolving fund implementation in Chalia district. Descriptive research design was employed to meet a study objective that is to identify the practice, challenges and opportunities of youth revolving fund implementation. Samples of 189 youth were selected from four selected kebeles’ those identified by systematic sampling techniques. Additionally 15 Key informant interviews from concerned professionals and youth representatives were involved. Besides that one Focus Group Discussion with 10 participants was successfully conducted. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics frequency, percentage and mean value and presented using pie chart, frequency table and narrations. Results of findings indicate that there was no adequate training given for youth to make them successful in their business and there were no regular monitoring and evaluation activities. Moreover, using the fund for other personal needs than investing on intended objectives were among the major challenges and lastly the attitude of youth due to political propagation were negative towards the revolving fund because they perceived the fund as intended as a tool of stabilizing political friction made by youth at the inception period. Finally accessibility of youth revolving fund with moderate interest rate to get them seed money to start their business which makes their socio economic future brighter than that of lived idle unemployed were among the major opportunities identified for few of  those started to use the fund for intended purposes. It is suggested that all concerned stake holders including government should pay attention to follow all responsibilities required to train, conduct feasibility study for proposed youth business, close supervision to minimize using the fund for personal needs and free of political interference.

Keywords: Youth, Youth Fund, Challenges, Opportunities, Implementation.

DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/12-7-02

Publication date:October 31^st 2022