The Kiambu Youth Officer has today emphasized on the need for more youths to be taken through the life skills programme especially for those in transition stages of life to enable them navigate through life challenges.
Speaking to KNA today at the Kiambu Sub-county Youth Affairs office, Mr. John Mwangi, the officer in charge of Kiambu sub-county reiterated that many youths were losing track so easily due to lack of life skills.
“I would say that the gaps we are facing now with regard to the youth are spearheaded by how an individual was parented. Some were given everything they needed all till they attained 18 years”, he said.
He also added that many times such an individual will experience difficulty in handling a challenge of life when in tertiary institutions saying that when they fill stuck at that point they are easily swayed into behaviors like drug abuse.
“When an individual lacks basic life skills such as self-awareness, stress management and decision-making then it is easier for such young people to adapt even negative advice of friends and avoid listening to their own parents when advised on their personal life,” said Mr. Mwangi
With the life skill sessions being provided in county and sub-county levels facilitated by Life Skills Promoters (LSP) in close partnership with Kenya Youths Empowerment Opportunity Programme (KYEOP), the youth officer urged youths in Kiambu County to be more alert, be ready to set their mindsets and be well prepared to counter life challenges.
“Someone who has gone through life skills sessions can be easily identified by how they cope up with life’s challenges in general; at personal, family, social, school and workplace level. Even when an individual is heartbroken they know how to manage that because, killing themselves is never in their mind,” he noted.
“Life skills is very crucial in our day to day life encounters despite the level or social class we are in,” the youth officer concluded.
The youth officer made the remarks ahead of the closure of schools this week when children will return home where they need guidance from parents, counsellors and the community in order to remain safe during the short holiday.
By Jackline Kidaha and Lydia Shiloya
