The government will in two months’ time roll out cycle-8 of issuing funds to young people, under the Kenya Youth Employment Opportunities Project (KYEOP).
Trade Principal Secretary Amb. Johnson Weru has said the programme targets to benefit more than 7, 000 youth drawn across the country, who have a prove of viable investment ideas.
In the programme, Weru said the beneficiaries will get between Sh50, 000 and Sh3 million to help them establish income generating projects, thus creating jobs to thousands of jobless young people.
The PS, who was speaking at Gatanga Constituency Industrial Development Centre (CIDC) at Kiunyu market explained that those targeted are from four leavers who scored grade D+ and failed to proceed with college or university education.
“The money will be given without discrimination provided the applicants meet set requirements. One must have scored D+ in KCSE and did not join College or university,” said the PS.
He observed that within a period of less than two months, the programme will have been rolled out urging those who meet the requirement to apply once the opportunities are presented.
“This will be the eighth cycle to give out the funds. We did cycle one to seven and the programme will continue as the government aims to financially support young people to venture in projects that create employment,” he added.
Weru added, “Parents and guardians should encourage their children to take advantage of this opportunity and access the government funds.”
The PS further said the government through Medium and Small Enterprise Authority (MSEA) has started to equip CIDC in efforts to promote production of quality products, which can access regional and international markets.
There are 158 CIDCs and 100 worksites countrywide, which are managed by registered associations with Weru challenging the groups to take advantage of issued equipment to produce quality products.
The PS noted that Kenya had signed a trade pact with the United Kingdom, which will allow traders to export their products to the European country at duty or quarter free.
“We recently commissioned the Economic Partnership Agreement Council for a trade pact with the UK. This now gives our traders opportunities to export their products to the UK at duty free provided the products meet set requirements,” he added.
Speaking during the same occasion, MSEA Chief Executive Officer Henry Rithaa encouraged small scale manufacturers to register with the registrar of MSEA to enable them to benefit in a structured manner through opportunities availed by the government.
He said they have over 10, 000 associations who have registered with them in the last three months, saying that by the end of this year, they are targeting to register more than 6, 000 manufacturing associations.
“By June this year we are targeting 5 million medium and small scale entrepreneurs and more than 10 million by the close of the year,” said Rithaa.
The CEO encouraged young entrepreneurs to form groups so that they can easily access government tenders and markets for their products.
By Bernard Munyao
