The government has urged the youth to harness opportunities available in the national and county governments for personal development.
Speaking during an occasion to mark the Internal Youth Day in Mombasa, Youth Affairs and Creative Economy PS Ismail Madey said the country’s youth segment was important, thus their efforts, creativity, energy, and all the programs they are undertaking are worth celebrating.
The celebration had a representation of youths from all 47 counties and began with a procession from the iconic elephant tusks to the Swahili Pot Hub.
The youth had an opportunity to exchange ideas and engage the leadership in dialogue to shape how their programs are run in the government.
This year’s theme was, From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development”
The PS noted that the theme is timely as the country is making strides in creating online jobs for the youth through the Ajira Hub and other platforms.
“Through the efforts of the President, we can now convince some of the social media companies to allow Kenyans to get money out of the content they create.
Last year, the PS stated that the Ministry of Youth collaborated with the Ministry of Education to undertake a talent search program in football and creativity.
“Out of that program, we have managed to scout 2000 young Kenyans and taken them to a talent and skilling camp at the Kenya Academy of Sports. Six young Kenyans have been scouted by international football teams and are now playing for different clubs in Europe and America,” said Madey.
The Talanta Hela initiative now will focus on creatives and a new talent search program dubbed Who is Next will be unveiled soon.
Through Talanta Hela, he added, the Ministry has signed agreements with International partners to provide a gateway for Kenyans.
The government, he said, has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Grammy awards on music and Hollywood Innovation studios for Kenyans in Hollywood.
The Acting Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Council, Margaret Kiogora expressed her excitement for the honour to host this year’s Youth International Day in Mombasa County, noting that their main agenda of the day is to explore what the young people have been up to, including their success stories.
She added that they aim to listen to the youth’s challenges and use the insight to influence policies and laws to enhance their growth and development.
“We continue to encourage young people to join these initiatives by actively engaging with government platforms, whether at the national or county level without fear,” Kiogora said.
On matters of Strengthening the National Youth Council Kiogora reiterated that the PS has pledged that they have put in place measures to establish election guidelines and an Act that aligns with the Constitution. The next crucial step is gathering input from young people on how they would like to see the constitution strengthened.
The Chairperson of the Youth Advisory Board at the National Youth Council, Sophie Nikoye Waliyaula, encouraged the youth to interact using the digital aspect and embrace technology in all activities that they do.
The Founder of Patron of Smart Mechanized Agriculture and Climate Action for Humanity and Sustainability (SMACHS) Foundation Charlene Ruto said that she had a lengthy discussion with the youth of Mombasa and affirmed that they are well supported by the County Governor.
“I encourage the young people to continue reaching out to our leaders, especially within our youth networks so they can help us implement our ideas and dreams into reality,” Charlene said.
She emphasized that many important developments in the country are often overlooked by the youth. To address this, she is actively bridging the information gap between leaders and young people through her social media platform, ensuring they stay informed and engaged.
“Information is power, especially during this time and age, I try to bring this connection to the youth to know what is happening, but it’s up to you to put in the effort, and put yourself out there because the best I can do is give you the information,” Charlene reiterated.
By Fatma Said and Sadik Hassan
