National and county governments have been asked to empower youths who reform after serving sentences in prison facilities.
Chairman of Ex-prisoner Youths in Samburu county Solomon Wanyeki said many young people who went through prison have been stigmatised by the community and denied a chance to benefit from the government’s youth programmes.
“Youths who come from prison are suffering due to society’s negative attitude towards them, people who are supposed to support and help ex-prisoner youths to reform after prison are the ones oppressing them,” he said.
Wanyeki urged the government to use a section of the funds set aside for youths, women and people living with disabilities to help reformed ex-convicts start income-generating activities.
“If you ask them to join self-help groups, it will never happen because they fear rejection by their peers due to stigma, the government ought to give them money so that they can practice skills they acquired while in prison,” he said.
However, the chairman said lack of employment or capital to start small scale business enterprises is the main challenge affecting both literate and illiterate youths in the county.
Wanyeki challenged youths to work hard without considering the nature of employment opportunities before them in order to improve their lives.
“Just do any work even if it is digging a toilet or being a house help so long as you are earning an income," he said, urging unemployed educated youths not to engage in drugs.
Edited by R.Wamochie
