Exploring Cooperative Opportunities for Youth in Kenya

The research project supported by GESTE and the GENO Foundation WissenSchafftPartner (WissenSchafftPartner | BWGV) aims to demonstrate the opportunities cooperatives can offer young people in Kenya. The project partnership is embedded in the strategic work of the DGRV, which has been supporting the professionalization and development of the cooperative sector in East Africa for years.

A central goal is to facilitate young people's access to attractive employment opportunities in the cooperative environment. Although cooperatives are an important economic factor in Kenya, their potential to sustainably combat high youth unemployment has barely been tapped. The project addresses precisely this point: students are to learn about the diverse career and entrepreneurial opportunities in cooperatives while simultaneously contributing to the sector's development through their research.

In Kenya, the cooperative sector plays a significant role, but its potential to create sustainable jobs for young people is not yet fully realized. Often there is a lack of awareness about what career paths cooperatives offer and how innovative this form of organization can be. A key institution in this field is the Cooperative University of Kenya (CUK), the leading academic institution for cooperative studies in the country. Together with the Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW), a new form of international university cooperation is now being developed.

Also essential is the close integration of research and practice. The mandatory practical semester for CUK students is used to conduct field research directly in cooperatives. Students work not only in an academic framework but directly in businesses and communities – gaining insights into diverse economic, social, and regional structures to develop a broad understanding of the sector.

After completing the field research, the results are evaluated and analyzed together with DHBW students and developed into practical recommendations for action.