Nakuru County is partnering with three European Development Agencies in an initiative geared towards empowering youths and women with practical skills and entrepreneurship training mentorship in the MSME sector as a pathway for economic growth, food security, and poverty alleviation.
County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Trade, Tourism, and Cooperatives Stephen Muiruri said the programme which will be implemented across all the 11 sub-counties is a collaboration between the County Government, Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV Kenya), Slovak Agency for International Development Corporation (Slovak Aid) and German Agency for International Corporation (GIZ).
The CECM explained that the skills development and job creation initiative which is targeting at least 2000 youths and women also seeks to catalyse growth of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and wealth creation by providing them with technical skills and training opportunities.
Besides the training, Mr Muiruri said the programme will also facilitate the youthful entrepreneurs get access to markets and finance, catalyse supply chain linkages, create digital solutions and enhance compliance to standards.
He said through the targeted interventions such as capacity building, technical assistance, and customised financial products, the entrepreneurs will be in a position to procure tools and equipment necessary to navigate the complexities of the modern business environment successfully.
The CECM was happy that the initiative would serve as an important step towards inclusive trade, economic empowerment, and sustainable job creation for both women and youth in the MSME sector within Nakuru County.
While noting that the collaborative effort will better position the MSME sector as a pathway for economic growth, food security, and poverty alleviation in Nakuru, Muiruri said the County will deliberately offer practical skills and entrepreneurship training mentorship through partnerships with various industry titans as well as extending start-up capital to make the initiative a success.
“This initiative emerges as a strategic lifeline, propelling enterprises forward and unlocking the county’s untapped potential,” added the CECM.
Germany Agency for International Corporation (GIZ ) representative Luis Bosch said the collaboration will foster an enabling environment to stimulate an inclusive and equitable economic growth of the business startups in Nakuru County in addition to catalyzing dignified and fulfilling work opportunities for the youth, fostering intra-county trade, and contributing to economic growth and poverty alleviation.
Slovak Aid representative Suzana Wisconsina said the programme will help in proactively designing targeted instruments to integrate young persons in all aspects of the economic transformation adding that the Agency will factor in technical perspectives as well as curricular exchange initiatives as a way to develop international understanding between youth entrepreneurs and their peers from different countries.
By fostering a culture of entrepreneurship and equipping individuals with the skills to thrive in a competitive market, Ms Wisconsina explained that the initiative lays the groundwork for long-term economic resilience and prosperity among the youths.
According to Kenya National Bureau of Statistics there are over 7.4 million MSMEs employing approximately 14.9 million individuals, contributing approximately 40 percent of the GDP.
By Esther Mwangi and Meggy Njoki
