| dc.description.abstract | More than 50 percent of the current global population aged 15-24 years, survive on below 2
dollars daily. This state of affairs is particularly pronounced in less developed economies like
Kenya where youths are subjected to problems of unemployment, job insecurity as well as low
incomes. Youth Enterprise Development Fund (YEDF) supports the social pillar of the Vision
2030 towards addressing challenges of poverty as well as unemployment among youths in
Kenya. The World Bank’s Global Findex Database reports that 71 percent of youths from high-
income economies save and access credit while 43 per cent have been reported from developing
countries. However, access to YEDF has been all-time low in Kenya covering only 30 to 35
percent. The reviewed studies have mainly concentrated on the effect of YEDF in eradicating
poverty and youth unemployment by studying the youths who have accessed the funds but they
have neglected those who have not accessed the funds and why. The purpose of this study was to
investigate effect of economic, institutional and social factors on access to YEDF by youth
groups in Migori County. The specific objectives of the study were; to investigate the effect of
economic factors on access to YEDF, to determine the effect of institutional factors on access to
YEDF, and to analyze the effect of social factors on access to YEDF in Migori County. This
study was founded on information assymetry theory. It used correlational research design.
Targetting all the 293 registered youth groups and 8 representatives of Youth Enterprise
Development Fund in each Sub-County of Migori County, Yamane formula was used to
determine the sample size. Cluster, proportionate and simple random sampling were adopted in
which 169 youth group leaders and 8 administrators of the YEDF were selected for the study
which gave rise to 177 respondents. Questionnaire and interview schedule assisted in gathering
primary data. Piloting of the study was carried out to ascertain the validity and reliability of the
data collection instruments. Given the economic factors, the study found that income status and
access to YEDF in Migori County have a positive and significant relationship (.200, p=0.000).
However, business support services and access to YEDF in Migori County have a positive but an
insignificant relationship (.035, p=0.599). Likewise, the findings indicated that institutional
factors (disbursement procedures and physical location of youth groups) and access to YEDF in
Migori County have a positive and significant relationship (.118, p=0.026; .244, p=0.000
respectively). Likewise, social factors (education level, entrepreneurship training and group
dynamics) and access to YEDF in Migori County have a positive and significant relationship
(.240, p=0.000; .214, p=0.001 and .208, p=0.000 respectively).This is evidenced by the R square
value which is 0.781 which is more than 0.5 implying that all the three factors explain 78.1% of
the access to YEDF in Migori County. This is further supported by the Fstatistic = 66 where the
value was greater than the critical value at 0.05 significance level, F statistic = 66 > F critical = 2.669
(7, 133). The study recommends that the low-income earners be reached for inclusivity; YEDF
loan disbursements procedures be simplified; the YEDF offices be located also in remote parts of
the country for ease of accessibility and entrepreneurial training be offered to youth groups. The
outcome study would be useful in enhancing the understanding of factors affecting access to
YEDF and help in formulating strategies to improve access, use and repayment of YEDF. The
study concludes that the economic, institutional and social factors affect access to YEDF in
Migori County. | en_US |
