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This briefing outlines the critical need for sustainable cooling in Kenya, highlighting the vulnerability of millions of people to extreme heat and the potential climate impact of increasing refrigeration and air-conditioning (RAC) usage. It connects cooling access to health, nutrition, and economic goals, while aligning these needs with Kenya's Energy Transition and Investment Plan 2023-2050.

This case study describes the Youth Enterprise Grant (YEG), a pilot project by FSD Africa and GiveDirectly that provided smartphones and financial grants to 1,000 youth in the Mathare slum of Nairobi to evaluate the impact of digital technology on livelihoods and business skills.

This report evaluates the Youth Enterprise Grants (YEG) pilot project in Mathare, Nairobi, which provided approximately $1,200 in cash grants and a smartphone to 1,018 youth (aged 18-35). The project tested whether these tools could improve economic outcomes for urban youth in informal settlements, comparing lump sum (LS) and monthly payment (MP) models. Key findings indicate a significant shift toward self-employment, improved financial resilience—even during the Covid-19 pandemic—and a high feasibility of mobile money transfers in slum environments, though the impact of specific business-skill apps was limited.

This interim report evaluates the Youth Enterprise Grants (YEG) pilot project, which provided cash grants and smartphones to 1,035 youth (aged 18-35) in the Mathare slum of Nairobi. The project tested two payment models: lump sums of ~$1,200 and monthly payments of ~$50. Initial findings indicate that cash transfers are feasible in urban slum environments and effectively encourage entrepreneurial behavior, with a significant shift from casual labor to self-employment. While pre-installed business apps saw low engagement, general internet and social media access via smartphones significantly aided market access and skill acquisition. The report also highlights gender-based differences in spending and saving, and the continued importance of informal saving groups alongside mobile money services.