Education and micro-credit in Kenya- A minor field study about the impact education and micro-credit has on empowerment among youths

Abstract: This bachelor thesis analyses the impact that development projects working with higher education and micro-credit have on youth’s empowerment processes. I have made a minor field study in Kenya and conducted 21 semi-structured respondent interviews with a group with higher education, a group that was provided with micro-credit and a group which was not provided with neither. The interviews were constructed to measure levels of individual empowerment among the youth. The measurements are economic and human, psychological, social and political capabilities. I have, based on the interviews, identified that education is the most empowering tool since this group displayed the highest capabilities, compared to the two other groups. The individuals that were provided with higher education and micro-credit felt a change in all of the measured capabilities because of their new opportunity structure. The group with micro-credit expressed more modest future aspirations and self-esteem compared to the group with higher education. The group without any given higher education and micro-credit is less empowered according to the indicators since they are having significantly lower capabilities.