DAVID Waiganjo, the chief of Gitugi location in Mathioya, Murang’a county, is a man on a mission.
After realising that many youths in his area engage in petty theft after years of unsuccessful job search, the chief devised a way to empower them and keep them busy.
Waiganjo’s typical day starts at 8am in his office where he works until 2pm.
Afterwards, he changes from his uniform to casual clothes which he says enable him to freely mingle with youths.
“Many of the youths in my area don’t drink much because they don’t have the money but some steal. I realised after helping in their homes in the morning, they still have a lot of free time that can prompt them to engage in crime,” the chief said.
In January, Waiganjo started training youths to do engraving to support them and solve cases of theft.
His idea of engraving was birthed after Waiganjo saw records from the local police post which indicated that at least 10 people lose their identity cards every month.
With identity card replacement charges being Sh1,000, Waiganjo said many residents are forced to go for long periods without the crucial document.
“I thought if we found a way to engrave people’s mobile phone numbers on their keys and identity card holders, it’d be easier to trace them if they get lost,” he said.
And that is how he started training the youth. Most of those benefiting from the project, he said, are those who left school recently and are yet to secure jobs.
The engraving idea is working. Previously, many boda boda riders were forced to break padlocks in their homes after losing keys as they went about their businesses.
“Even wallets that contain documents such as ATMs, can now be found if they get lost,” he said.
The chief said the training only requires a number punch and a hammer which are then used to punch numbers onto the holders.
Since he started, the chief has been able to train 70 youths, many of whom have started earning a living from the art.
“I have been a crusader of the bottom up economic agenda because empowering the low cadre Kenyans, to me, is crucial. They won’t engage in crime if they are empowered.”
The location, he noted, has had cases of petty crimes as jobless youths struggle to support themselves.
He said one of the youths has since put up a stall at Gitugi shopping centre while others have been going round the villages looking for clients.
Jackson Kimathi, one of the beneficiaries said he takes home Sh400 on a good day while the amount can go as low as Sh100. Kimathi said the art motivates him to go out of his way to look for clients and keeps him busy.
“This job sustains me. It gives me money to buy airtime, feed and cloth myself instead of depending on parents.” Peter Munene, another beneficiary, said before he started the training in January, he had been jobless for three years.
Munene charges Sh100 per client saying he makes up to Sh500 daily which is enough to sustain him.
“I only do this work later in the day after helping my parents at home. I’m grateful to the chief because he supported me even in acquiring the engraving equipment. I had an amount and he topped it up,” he said.
Godffrey Mwangi said they were happy that the chief started the project that will reduce the number of youths idling in the villages.
