Youth in Kajiado County have been urged to embrace a saving culture to build their future financial foundation.
The Kajiado County Commissioner (CC), Joshua Nkanatha, while officially launching the National Hygiene Programme (NHP) “Kazi Mtaani” at Oloolua Kajiado North on Monday advised youth enrolled for the programme to set aside some of the money earned as savings to invest in small-scale businesses.
The CC said that 8,500 youth from informal and poor backgrounds in Kajiado County had been enrolled for the exercise aimed at creating jobs and cushioning them from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
Nkanatha said the youth who will be working under the programme, will be paid Sh.455 per day and will be working for 11 days every month for six months with their wages being wired weekly via mobile money transfer.
“I want to urge all youth enrolled for the Kazi Mtaani programme to save some of the money that they will earn. At the end of the six months the money they will have set aside can be used as capital to set up small-scale businesses,” he said.
Nkanatha asked the team responsible for implementation of the programme to ensure that quality work was done.
He added that those engaged in the exercise would be tasked with garbage collection, planting of trees, fumigation of public places, clearing of bushes and unblocking of sewerage lines among other social work.
The Ngong Municipality Manager, Peter Mugo, reiterated the importance of developing a saving culture, adding that once the exercise is over the youth can start their own businesses which will enable them become self-employed.
He noted that the programme, apart from enabling jobless youth earn a living, will also help reduce crime in the society as those involved in the exercise will be able to earn an income and provide for their families.
“This programme is very important as it has enabled youth who were jobless to earn a living thus, they will now be able to provide for themselves and their families hence stop engaging in petty crime,” he said.
The Manager further revealed that the youth, apart from engaging in the NHP will also be counselled on emerging social issues such as drug and substance abuse and teenage pregnancies.
President Uhuru Kenyatta in April this year launched the first phase of Kazi Mtaani programme which targeted youth from informal settlements from eight counties.
The social protection exercise was first rolled out in slums in Kiambu, Nairobi, Mombasa, Kwale, Nakuru, Mandera, Kilifi and Kisumu which were identified as coronavirus hotspots.
The second phase which has been rolled out in all the 47 counties will see more than 250,000 youth benefit from the Sh.10 billion exercise.
By Rop Janet
