Youth Employment in the Borderlands: Building Futures One Brick at a Time

The Horn of Africa is one of the youngest regions in the world. That is a tremendous source of energy and potential — but only if young people have something meaningful to do. In the borderlands of Kenya and Somalia, youth employment is one of the most urgent challenges, and one of the most powerful tools for peace.

The cost of idleness

When young people cannot find work, frustration builds. Some turn to drugs such as khat, some to crime, and a few are drawn into armed groups that promise money and belonging. Every young person in a decent job is one less person available to those who would exploit them.

Why interlocking bricks?

Interlocking stabilised soil blocks are made by compressing a mixture of soil and a little cement in a manual or motorised press. They offer real advantages:

• Low cost — they use local soil and require less cement and mortar.
• Environmentally friendly — unlike fired bricks, they do not require burning firewood.
• In demand — growing towns need homes, schools, shops and water tanks.
• Quick to learn — young people can become productive within weeks.

What VOPA did

In April 2022, VOPA trained 50 cross-border youth to operate interlocking-brick production machines and provided the machines as start-up kits so they could launch income-generating businesses. Bringing young people from both sides of the border together also built friendships across communities that have sometimes been in conflict. See the project.

Linking to further training

Skills open doors to more skills. VOPA linked the trained youth to institutions such as Banisa and Mandera Polytechnic, where they can learn masonry, construction and business management. Vocational education and training (VET) improves employability and helps young people move into a wide range of livelihoods.

Lessons for scaling up

1. Start with market demand — choose skills that local buyers will pay for.
2. Provide tools, not just training — a certificate without equipment rarely leads to work.
3. Organise in groups — shared machines and shared contracts reduce risk.
4. Mentor and follow up — the first year of a business is the hardest.

Want to help more young people build their futures? Partner with VOPA or read about our Youth & Women Empowerment programme.