Over 50 youths in Rarieda Sub County are set to benefit from the first round of free training on making stabilized soil blocks courtesy of the State Department of Housing in conjunction with the area NG-CDF.
The youths, drawn from the five wards in the region, will undergo a two week training on making blocks for building houses using a modern technology known as hydraform block making machine.
Speaking when he delivered the machine worth Sh2.4 million to Rarieda Youth Talent Center, Siaya County Director of Housing Mr. Charles Obwanda said the training would equip the youth with skills to produce interlocking blocks using locally available materials.
Obwanda lamented that Siaya County has very few qualified personnel able to operate the three available hydraform machines in the county leading to their underutilization.
“The machines are available for free for youth groups but the challenge is finding individuals who can operate the machines effectively to produce the desires block limiting their utilization,” said Obwanda.
He noted that the move to train the youth on the new technology would not only increase the number of competent personnel in the county, but also provide opportunities for the youth to earn livelihoods from making quality building blocks.
Obwanda disclosed that the technology has numerous advantages as it reduced the cost of construction by between 30%-35% per square feet and also uses locally available resources.
“The hydraform machine can make blocks from any type of soil with 70% sand gravel content and 20%-30% clay mixed according to the recommended ratio and its mobility means that it can be used to make blocks at the construction site further reducing cost of construction,” he explained.
Rarieda MP Dr. Otiende Amollo who has sponsored the training of the over 50 youths through the NG-CDF said construction of houses in Rareida sub county was far too expensive because of its predominantly black cotton soil, hence the adoption of the hydraform technology would be a welcome relief to the residents.
He disclosed that they intended to train 10 youths from each ward for the first round of training, then teach others in the sub sequent rounds to ensure that the region is well endowed with youths skilled in the technology.
The area MP who also runs an initiative christened “Ondoa Nyasi” where he constructs houses for widows and elderly people in the region, said the technology would also improve the quality of house constructed under the initiative.
The MP said with a capacity to produce 1, 200 blocks a day, the hydraform technology would not only make construction work in the region easier, but also provide jobs for the youth in the construction industry.
By Brian Ondeng’
Youths in Rarieda to be trained on hydraform technology
