The Aga Khan Foundation in collaboration with other stakeholders is targeting to empower more than 400 youth through provision of business entrepreneur training skills to boost their enterprises.
The program dubbed, Covid-19 response program under Aga Khan Foundation Human Centered Design (HCD) seeks to strengthen Covid coping strategies for the vulnerable in the community, among them jobless youth.
The European Union (EU) is the main donor of the program steered by the Agha Khan Foundation.
Speaking in Mombasa during the training of the young entrepreneurs, Aga Khan Foundation program coordinator Stelamaris Mumbua disclosed that the program is implemented in four East African countries namely Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Mozambique.
She stated that entrepreneurship training for young people is also meant to help support skills development and job creation in the country.
The programme’s coordinator urged the youth to take advantage of the various entrepreneurship programs rolled out by the government and private sector to create jobs for themselves and others.
Mumbua said they are partnering with six counties of Kisii, Nakuru, Mombasa, Lamu, Kilifi, and Kwale to actualize youth employability through skills imparting to help them run their own business.
“We are celebrating the milestone the youths have made in creating solutions therefore we are supporting them to access training and give them grants to support their businesses,” said Mumbua.
In the Coastal region, the program is being implemented in the counties of Kwale, Kilifi, Mombasa and Lamu with an objective to strengthen Covid 19 strategies and come up with interventions towards improving the lives of the vulnerable.
The implementers of the project are targeting to initiate business start-ups for the youth with a stipend that will ensure the thriving of their businesses, as part of a recovery strategy from the economic shocks of Covid-19.
“We are also strengthening the health care systems by carrying out sensitization to combat the virus. We are also supporting economic programs for youth to access training on entrepreneurship,” said Mumbua.
Mombasa County Director of Youth Development Sabrina Yusuf termed the program a game changer to the majority of youth struggling to economically stand on their feet.
“Since Covid 19 struck two years ago a lot of businesses by young people were affected. We took it upon ourselves to look for these youth groups to empower them with knowledge and skills about business,” said Yusuf.
Mohamed Suleiman, one of the beneficiaries, said the program will help many jobless youths who are searching for jobs.
“We are happy about this program; I believe it will change the lives of many youths,” said Suleiman who now wants to venture into the photography business through the help of the program.
By Hussein Abdullahi
