An agreement taking affect this month grants NCBA CLUSA $1,450,637 to extend its USAID-funded Yes Youth Can! capacity-building project in Kenya through July 2015.

The extension moves the project’s estimated completion date from August 31, 2014 to July 31, 2015, increases the total budget to $9,045,385 and amends the program description to include new activities to be implemented during the extension period.

According to the agreement, NCBA CLUSA will “utilize the youth network and Government of Kenya systems to the greatest extent possible for monitoring, evaluation and implementation while maintaining minimal staff and operational costs,” and demonstrate that all activities funded are “youth-owned, youth-led and youth-managed.”

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Activities supported include:

• Building capacity of local youth organizations that promote youth voice in local and national policy dialogue and to participate in inter-ethnic coalitions

• Facilitation and provision of new livelihood opportunities for youth, and improvement of access to youth-friendly services through the Community-based Facilitators (CBFs)

• Gender (to “ensure women’s full participation in all activities”)

The move follows a previous 10-month $2.4 million extension continuing the project through August 2014, and comes just months after NCBA CLUSA signed an agreement with the Kenyan government cementing the trade association and international development organization as a cooperative leader in the country.

Launched in 2009, Yes Youth Can! engages young people in partnerships with government entities, foundations, donors and the private sector as they implement community service and economic development projects. The project has led to sustainable youth organizations, increased levels of youth advocacy, improved livelihoods and higher levels of participation by women in leadership roles. Yes Youth Can! has trained and empowered hundreds of youth groups, or bunges—grooming thousands of disadvantaged young people for future employment, entrepreneurship and community leadership.