The government will soon launch the National Youth Opportunities towards Advancement (NYOTA) project which will be a scale-up project of the KYEOP and will build on lessons learned in the implementation of the KYEOP project, whose objective is to increase employment and opportunities for earnings and savings for targeted youth in all the 47 Counties.
The project will have four components which include improving youth employability, supporting youth entrepreneurship, supporting savings for Kenyan youth in the informal sector, and strengthening systems and capacity to sustain youth employment and savings initiatives.
Speaking during the graduation of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students held at Kiprugut Chumo stadium, the Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the government is set to empower over 820,000 youths with skills using apprenticeship program through the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) program.
He said NYOTA will enhance employment opportunities through entrepreneurship development and support for social enterprises adding that the primary goal is to tackle the obstacles and market inefficiencies that impede the involvement of vulnerable youth aged 18-29 years in profitable entrepreneurial endeavors.
“Beneficiaries will receive a comprehensive package comprising grants, Business Development Services (BDS) training, and mentorship. 100,000 youths with business ideas will benefit from startup capital of Sh50,000 each to start and keep their businesses running,” he explained.
The CS further advised the youths to capitalize on the Youth Enterprise Fund to start their businesses and earn income adding that the government has provided full support for the youths be part of the drivers of the economy.
During the colorful ceremony, CS Murkomen promised to resume construction of the remaining part of the Kiprugut Chumo stadium saying the government would inject Sh100 million into the project for the stadium to be fully renovated and be fit for sporting activities.
Meanwhile, the Kericho County Governor Dr Erick Mutai, encouraged the youths to join TVETs and learn useful skills that can help them get self-employed and earn income.
A total of 2,586 graduates of the Equalizer Vocational Training Scholarship Program were awarded certificates in their areas of study as 200 of them received equipment including welding machines, plumbing tool kits, hair dryers, mechanic tools, and carpentry kits to empower them to embark on their entrepreneurial journey.
“The transformative program has also enabled us to expand our vocational Training Centers (VTC) from 13 to 18 and increase admissions by 142 percent from 1,709 to 4,262 students and next year we plan to come back even bigger and better,” said Governor Mutai.
By Kibe Mburu and Ken Kiprotich
