The Department of Education, Youth, Sports, Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) in the Makueni County Government has collaborated with the National government to implement Ajira Digital Programme in the area.
Speaking to KNA at her office in Wote on Thursday, the Director of ICT Makueni County, Mrs. Cecilia Mutua said the programme will be taking place at the Community Information Centres (CIC) which offer basic ICT training and E-government services to citizens hence allow the youth opportunities to access ICT training.
She further said that the centres where the training will take place, include Wote, Matiliku, Mulala, Tawa, Nunguni, Kasikeu, Kikima and Kalawani.
Mutua said that the initiative seeks to promote online work for the youth and build their online work careers and also build a nation of brilliance and obligation among the youth in Makueni.
The programme aims at equipping the youth with the tools, trainings and mentorship needed to enable them work from anywhere at any time using the Smartphone or other digital devices and internet.
“Through this they will become self-employed and give them an opportunity to enjoy economic freedom as they will earn an income online, improving their livelihoods at the same time, safeguarding social economic standing for their families,” she said.
Mutua said that the ICT Authority provided equipment and writing materials at all centre besides training the trainers who are in turn teaching the youth who initially resisted the initiative but have now embraced it.
Consequently, she revealed that 136 youths have been trained since April 2019 and more people are flocking the training centres on a daily basis.
“Initially, the youth were reluctant but after the training of the first batch, they started flocking our training centres spread across the county,” she said.
While saying they target to train about 300 youths, the director said that they have had challenges in physical infrastructure, inadequate equipment and lack of internet in centres like Darajani and Nthongoni in Kibwezi Sub County.
“We are facing challenges in physical infrastructure as many youth who have seen the benefits of this programme, are flocking to the training centres. They have to queue in order to get the training,” said Mutua.
By Patrick Nyakundi
