The second phase of the National Hygiene Programme (NHP) dubbed ‘Kazi Mtaani’ targeting jobless youth kicked off to a smooth start across the four sub counties of Kwale.
The countrywide hygiene programme championed by the national government is designed to empower youth to realize their full potential as the country fights the coronavirus pandemic.
The Kwale County Commissioner (CC), Karuku Ngumo said enthusiastic youth embarked on the clean-up campaign in the coastal county.
In the first phase that ended in June, 1,000 youth in Kwale drawn from Msambweni and Matuga sub counties took part in the youth project but in the second phase youth from Lunga Lunga and Kinango sub counties have been brought on board.
The CC said the clean-up campaign by the youth in the region will be organized as part of measures to spruce up townships and public beaches.
Ngumo said 3,488 youth and 116 supervisors will take part in the second phase of the cleanup campaign, up from 1,000 who were initially hired in the pilot programme.
He said the national hygiene programme is aimed at cushioning the jobless youth with income in the face of Covid-19 pandemic.
“The youth will be earning daily wages while undertaking the public project works in the next six months,” he said.
Ngumo said the activities the labourers will undertake include street cleaning, fumigation and disinfection services, garbage collection, bush clearing and de-silting of choked gutters among others in informal settlements.
He said he was happy that in the first phase, the youth realized the importance of maintaining a clean environment.
The CC was addressing the youth who turned up in Diani Township of Msambweni Sub County on Monday ready to carry out the cleaning up exercise.
He distributed hand sanitizers and facemasks to the labourers while going round the county to check on the progress, and asked them to embrace personal hygiene as prevention against Corona virus.
Ngumo who chairs the county’s Kazi Mtaani Implementation Committee said apart from involving the youth in efforts to fight back the pandemic, the initiative was also an engaging way to raise awareness about the environment.
The CC urged the youth to desist from engaging in any anti-social activities and seize the opportunity and work with vigor.
The administrator said the turn up for the exercise was huge an indication that youths in the region were ready and willing to conserve the environment.
In the 2020-2021 financial year the National Treasury has allocated Sh.10 billion for the programme that also seeks to address the challenges of unemployment confronting young people.
By Hussein Abdullahi
