Youth in Samburu are set to benefit from vocational skills to better their livelihoods.
This is after various partners launched Ujuzi Mashinani, a programme seen as a critical step toward empowering Samburu youth and driving economic development in the region.
The programme has been launched by USAID Nawiri, in collaboration with Samburu East Technical and Vocational College (TVC) and the Samburu East Constituency Development Fund (CDF) at the TVET centre in Archers Post.
The programme, which began enrolling students in April 2024, aims to equip local youth with vocational skills to improve their livelihoods.
So far, 158 students have enrolled, paying Sh2,000 each.
USAID Nawiri is contributing Sh20,000 per student, with the Samburu East CDF topping up with Sh3,000, bringing the total fees paid to Sh3,160,000.
USAID Nawiri’s Chief of Party Hussein Abdinoor Abdille reiterated the organisation’s dedication to supporting vocational education in the region.
“We are committed to providing youth with skills that will transform their lives and strengthen the community,” Abdille said.
The programme targets to recruit 359 students, with the total cost estimated at Sh7,040,000.
To make education more accessible, five satellite centres will be established alongside the main Archers Post facility.
USAID Nawiri has invested Sh5,875,652.22 in start-up tools for courses such as hairdressing, dressmaking, catering, plumbing, masonry, and electrical work.
Speaking during the launch, Samburu East Member of Parliament Jackson Lentoijoni, welcomed the initiative as a game changer.
"This programme is a game-changer for our youth. The support from USAID Nawiri is invaluable in helping them acquire the skills needed to thrive in today’s market," Lentoijoni said.
Classes are set to begin in late September for courses with at least eight students.
The government has been keen on enhancing technical and vocational training in the country so as to bridge the skills gap.
The state has acknowledged that TVETs play a crucial role in equipping youth with relevant knowledge and skills that prepare them for the job market and entrepreneurship.
Bridging the skills gap will ensure that the country has a skilled workforce that will be imperative in steering the country’s economic growth and development.
It will also help create a workforce that is not just job-ready but also innovative and adaptable to the changing needs of industry and the global economy.
Recent data released by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) indicated that more than three million Kenyans, mostly youths, are jobless.
For a long time, however, learning in technical and vocational institutions has largely been hindered by a lack of equipment.
