Effect of Ajira Digital Skills Training Program on Employment, Earnings, and Well-being in Mombasa County

Policy Context

Youth unemployment is a severe and persistent challenge in Kenya. In Mombasa County, it stands at 30.8 percent, with youth constituting 42 percent of the county population. In response, the government launched the Jitume Digital Empowerment Program (JDEP), a free digital skills training program for for youth aged 18 to 35 that has trained more than 13,000 participants. Despite this scale, many young people are unaware of available training or lack clarity on how digital skills translate into income. Prior studies show that low-cost SMS reminders yield modest gains in training participation, but this approach remains largely untested in government-led digital skills programs. This study aims to address this gap by randomizing SMS-based encouragement to enroll in JDEP, tracking labor market outcomes and mental health – since unemployment is a known driver of psychological distress.

Study Design

The pilot will be implemented in Mombasa County, Kenya using a cluster-randomized design at the enumeration area (EA) level, with five EAs assigned to treatment and five to the comparison arm. About 10 eligible youth will be randomly sampled per EA. The pilot will address three design questions: (1) whether personalized SMS messages will reach eligible youth and generate Ajira Program awareness; (2) whether survey respondents can be linked to Ajira Program administrative records using phone numbers collected at baseline; and (3) how early enrollment rates in both intervention and comparison EAs inform power calculations for the full study. The primary outcome is Ajira Program enrollment, measured through administrative records. Secondary outcomes include digital skills proficiency (task-based index), online job search behavior, employment status, and mental health (standardized Mental Health Index). These will serve as baseline measures for the full study.

Results and Policy Lessons

Forthcoming.