Background More than half of DSM, Tz. homicides are a result of community violence. In 2005, it was found, those most at risk for homicide death are: male Tanzanians, aged 20–35 years, lack of employment/education, caught stealing sale-able goods such as cell phones, purses, and domestic meat animals. Most deceased had family responsibilities.

The most malleable variable is: lack of employment/occupation. The objective of this research is to gain insight into ways to operationalize interventions designed to improve income generation of at-risk youth.

Methods This pilot study will use pre-test post-test design with four interventions:

Introduction + Health training (2 sessions)

Introduction + Health + Entrepeneurship training ( 6 sessions)

Introduction + Health + Beekeeping training (6 sessions)

Introduction + Health + Beekeeping + Entrepeneurship training (10 sessions)

Intervention started April 2015 and will be completed January 2016. Post intervention data will be collected 3, 6 and 12 months after the last session. As a pilot study, evaluation variables include: availability/cooperation of subjects, research collaborators and institutions, timing, facilities and equipment needed, researcher experience, and costs.

Results Four youth camps were randomly chosen from 243 mapped camps in 4 wards of DSM. Fifteen members of each camp were invited to join. At the introductory session, camps were randomly chosen for intervention arms. Baseline data were collected quantitatively: demographics, health parameters, assets, risk for violence, and reading, writing, math skills. And qualitatively : involvement with community violence, income generation practices, money spending patterns, helpful and deviant deeds, aspirations.

Conclusions This pilot research is providing insight needed to conduct an experimental study to examine sustainable ways to reduce community violence. It builds on government and NGO youth employment initiatives; it is giving insight as to how such initiatives can be most effective.