Nairobi, Kenya | May 29, 2026 – Generation Kenya, in partnership with the Challenge Fund for Youth Employment (CFYE), launched its Mentorship Impact Study at a dissemination workshop held at the Mövenpick Hotel, Nairobi, bringing together more than 140 stakeholders from across Kenya’s youth employment ecosystem.

The event convened employers, mentors, alumni, development partners, policymakers, and workforce development practitioners to reflect on new evidence demonstrating the role of mentorship in supporting workforce transition, retention, professional growth, and workplace resilience among young people.

The study findings were validated through consultations with employers from Kenya’s Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), Digital Customer Service, and Textile and Apparel sectors, reinforcing mentorship as a critical workforce development intervention.

The workshop was officially opened by Rose Nzyoka, Country Director at inSupply Health, who challenged stakeholders to move beyond training and focus on the systems that enable young people to succeed and thrive in the workplace.

In her remarks, she noted:

“Hiring a young person is the easy part. What comes after hiring — that is where the real work begins.”

She emphasized that mentorship provides the guidance, encouragement, and psychosocial support that many young professionals need as they navigate the realities of the workplace.

The study revealed that mentorship continues to play a significant role in workplace success, with 63.6% of Digital Customer Service mentees who exceeded workplace expectations directly attributing their success to mentorship. The findings also showed that mentorship contributes to stronger workplace integration, improved confidence, enhanced resilience, and higher levels of retention.

Delivering employer reflections on behalf of the BPO sector, the Chief Operating Officer, Teleperformance Kenya, Nigeria and Rwanda, highlighted mentorship as a strategic investment for organizations seeking to build high-performing and resilient teams.

“Mentorship, done well, is not a social initiative on the side of the business. It is a leadership development strategy. It is a culture-building tool. It is how organisations build the kind of internal depth that no external recruitment drive can replicate.”

The executive further noted that Teleperformance has supported Generation Kenya’s mentorship programme since 2022, contributing more than 318 employee mentors who have guided young professionals as they transition into employment.

Employers from the textile and apparel sector, including Ashton Apparel EPZ and Mega EPZ, also validated the study findings and called upon fellow employers to institutionalize mentorship as a structured workplace practice rather than an informal activity. They emphasized that mentorship strengthens employee retention, improves workplace efficiency, accelerates onboarding, and supports long-term career progression for young workers.

The employers urged organizations across sectors to view mentorship not as an additional responsibility, but as a strategic business approach that develops talent, strengthens workplace culture, and enhances organizational performance.

Speaking at the event, stakeholders agreed that while technical training remains important, sustainable employment outcomes require ongoing support systems that help young people navigate workplace challenges, build professional confidence, and remain engaged in their careers.

The Mentorship Impact Study provides new evidence that mentorship benefits not only mentees but also mentors and employers, creating stronger workplace cultures, improving leadership development, and increasing commitment to organizations.

As Kenya continues to expand opportunities for young people, the study positions mentorship as a proven and scalable approach for strengthening workforce transition, retention, and career growth across industries.

Generation Kenya and its partners will use the findings to strengthen future mentorship programming and encourage broader adoption of structured mentorship models among employers seeking to develop and retain young talent.