Youth Entrepreneurs Start a Sheep Herding Venture, Kenya

A youth-based club in rural Narok County has pooled their limited funds to purchase sheep as an income-generating project for their club. As participants in Asante Africa’s Leadership & Entrepreneurship Incubator (LEI) Program, these teenagers have learned skills that will help them succeed. Their proficiency in leadership, work ethic, problem-solving, and team work has given the group the confidence to take on this new entrepreneurial venture.  

Herding sheep in Kenya has grown increasingly challenging as land and other necessary resources have become less available. Still, these 63 club members of the Moi Naikarra Secondary School each contributed approximately $5.40 USD to cumulatively raise almost $340 USD in order to purchase eight sheep to start their club’s new business. 

Thinking ahead, the youth have hired a herdsman to attend to the sheep while the students are at school. They have agreed to pay a monthly compensation of $45 USD. The club intends to use the profits gained after reselling the sheep to cover school fees for the neediest club members as a Pay It Forward plan. The youth also hope to expand their initiative to acquire more sheep and extend their assistance to more of their community.