Mombasa County will this week kick off a recruitment exercise for the second phase of the National Hygiene Programme (NHP).
The Programme dubbed ‘Kazi Mtaani’ will see 13,861 youth enlisted from all the six sub-counties in the coastal city.
This was announced on Monday by the Mombasa County Commissioner (CC), Gilbert Kitiyo when he chaired the area National Hygiene Programme Committee at Uhuru na Kazi Building.
During the first phase, only three sub-counties of Mvita, Nyali and Jomvu were involved where 7,500 youth from Old Town, Kaa Chonjo, Bangladesh and Ziwa la Ng’ombe informal settlements were recruited.
Kitiyo said the first phase of the programme that was aimed at creating jobs for the youth and cushioning them from the effects of the coronavirus was successful.
“Despite administrative challenges, the first phase witnessed significant transformation of informal settlements which previously overflowed with filth,” said the CC.
Among the activities carried out were street cleaning, fumigation and disinfection, garbage collection, bush clearing and de-silting of choked gutters and unblocking of sewages among others.
Besides providing employment to the youth, the programme has also promoted health standards and protocols to limit the risk of the infection of the deadly covid-19 in slum areas.
Informal settlements that are targeted during the second phase include Mathare, Kwarasi, Vietnam (Changamwe sub-county) and Majaoni, Hodi Hodi, Mwembelegeza and Kilimanjaro in Kisauni sub-county.
Others are Kidunguni, Mweza, Shika adabu, Bububu and Vyemani in Likoni sub-county.
Kitiyo commended the team that spearheaded the first phase and the youth who were employed for their commitment which he said contributed to the success of the programme.
He noted that Kazi Mtaani initiative would in the long run address the challenges of unemployment confronting the youth.
He added, apart from involving the youth in efforts to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, the programme is also an engaging way to raise awareness about the environment.
By Mohamed Hassan
