Living or surviving? Young Kenyans decry the cost of adulthood

What does adulthood look like for young Kenyans today?

For many, adulthood today feels less about growth and independence and more about trying to survive.

Every day, thousands of young Kenyans wake up to endless side hustles, short-term jobs and financial pressure just to afford basic needs like food, rent and transport. For the unlucky, they go to bed on a hungry stomach.

Online, social media sells the image of a good lifestyle that many people try to fit into, but behind the screen, many young Kenyans are struggling to survive in a brutal economy marked by high unemployment, uncontrolled corruption, a high cost of living and uncertainty about the future.

According to the Federation of Kenya Employers, unemployment in Kenya is at 12.7 per cent. Youth (15 – 34 year olds), who form 35 per cent of the Kenyan population, have the highest unemployment rate of 67 per cent.

FKE says more than one million young people enter Kenya’s labour market every year, many without jobs or opportunities.

There is no exact official number showing how many graduates get employed each year, but available labour statistics show that youth unemployment and underemployment remain worryingly high in Kenya.

“I graduated in 2019 with a Bachelor’s degree, believing I would quickly get a stable job, but years later, I am still surviving through short-term hustles and temporary work just to fulfil my needs of the day,” says Brian Mwangi, a graduate from Nairobi.

Youth unemployment remains one of the country’s biggest challenges, with millions of young people either jobless or stuck in unstable, informal work where they are grossly underpaid.

Many graduates leave university hoping to secure employment, only to spend years searching for opportunities.

The rising cost of living has made the situation even harder. Increased fuel prices continue to affect transportation, food prices and the overall cost of daily life.

“The majority of people in Kenya are surviving because most of the youth are unemployed. On top of that, they also lack capital to start a business; you can't start a business without capital,” Victor Ochieng Owino, a business entrepreneur, said.

As fuel prices skyrocket, the cost of moving goods also increases, and ordinary Kenyans feel the impact immediately in markets, matatus and households.

Today, many young people are not planning for the future because they are focused on making it through the day. Some juggle multiple hustles, from online businesses to delivery jobs, freelancing and casual labour, just to stay afloat.

“People who are living in Kenya are few compared to the people who are surviving because the cost of living is so high,” says Caleb Nyioro, a member of the Mathare Peace Committee.

In places like Mathare, survival has become a way of life. Young people continue to push forward despite the pressure, hoping that one day, hard work will lead to stability. But for now, many are simply trying to get through another day.