Kataboi, May 16th, 2024
A Program popularly known as “Ujuzi Mashinani” targeting to benefit youth with technical skills for entry into the labour market has been announced in Kataboi, Turkana North.
The Youth Program, supported by County Government in partnership with USAID Nawiri, was presided over by the Deputy Governor, John Erus, who said more than Ksh 100 million had been invested into the program, targeting youth in Kataboi, Kaaleng, Kaikor, and Lokichar.
“The Ujuzi aligns perfectly with the Governor’s Agenda on revitalisation of education as a tool of empowering the youth into the labour market and meaningfully contribute to the growing of the local economy,” Dr Erus stated.
The local initiative is a direct response mechanism to the labour demand and supply through a survey conducted by USAID Nawiri in the last two years, found out that the skills gap was a major barrier hindering uptake of available employment and entrepreneurial opportunities by the out-of school-youth especially from remote areas.
Further, it indicated had a direct relationship with high poverty levels, exclusion from financial and economic activities and deteriorating levels of malnutrition in the community.
“Ujuzi Mashinani Program directly addresses these challenges by overcoming the barriers to education through provision of skills based-training within the community for the 15-29 years old youth and young mothers in remote areas,” DG added.
During the event, more than 100 youth graduated with skills in Masonry, hairdressing, electrical wireman, plumbing and catering among many others.
The USAID Nawiri Chief of Party, Hassan Abdille confirmed the organisation’s commitment to upscale the intervention across Turkana, noting that the Program contributed to addressing the challenge of persistent acute malnutrition at household level.
According to him,“this approach carries the advantage of sustainability as opposed to the previous ones only based on food aid. An individual will use the skills acquired to generate cash to sustainably feed the family nearly forever as one would have been transformed to a productive resource.”
The County Executive for Education, Sports and Social Protection, Elizabeth Loote said the initiative had revitalised the utility value of vocational education.
She encouraged the youth who had not enrolled to take up the life transforming opportunity available to them and enrol immediately into the program.
Citing the recent training of vocational trainers by Kenya School of TVET to enable roll out CBET education, CECM emphasized the commitment of the Education Ministry in equipping the youth with the necessary skills.
The launch event was also attended and addressed by the other leaders including Turkana East MP, Hon Nicholas Ng’ikolong and Hon. Samwel Lomodo , MCA Lokichar Ward and Leader of Minority.
Deputy County Secretary Joseph Nyanga, Chief Officer Sports and Vocational Training Leah Losuru, Chief Officer Trade and Enterprise Development Robert Loyelei were also present.
