KCB Foundation pumps Sh10 million into Mukurweini youth empowerment project

Mukurweini constituency is set to witness a surge in opportunities for its youth as the KCB Foundation partners with the constituency to provide technical vocational skills training.

The collaboration, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding, promises to facilitate students seeking to join local polytechnics, with the Constituency matching funding on a one-to-one basis.

The Sh10 million training initiative will offer a 3-6 month classroom training program, followed by the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) Grade 3 assessment, enabling the participants to be linked to jobs and internships through the county labour-based program.

The youth in Mukurweini constituency will be beneficiaries of KCB Foundation's esteemed "2jiajiri" program, which aims to empower unemployed and out-of-school youth with technical skills and employment prospects in the job market.

According to KCB, the comprehensive training also encompasses entrepreneurial and financial management skills, as well as startup, working capital, and asset financing support for the businesses they establish.

Caroline Wanjeri, the Head of KCB Foundation, expressed her views on the partnership, stating, "2jiajiri is KCB's youth empowerment programme, providing vocational and technical skills training along with business development support, capital access, and mentorship, all geared towards fostering the establishment of enterprises."

KCB said the venture is part of its Foundation's extensive endeavours to drive economic growth by combatting youth unemployment at the grassroots level.

The foundation envisions the creation of small and medium enterprises through vocational skills training, thus empowering the youth to seize emerging opportunities in the market.

Wanjeri further said KCB ensures the youth acquire the correct skills to make them marketable.

"By collaborating with accredited institutions, we ensure that the youth possess the right technical capacity to capitalize on emerging opportunities. In the second phase, they will receive technical, capital, and business management support from KCB's micro bankers," Wanjeri said.

Mukurwe-ini member of parliament, John Kaguchia, expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative.

"We're targeting about 1,000 young people initially, to empower them by taking them to polytechnics and technical institutions so they can get skills to support themselves. We will use the allocated CDF funds from the National government to ensure that we build the youth capacity so they can also fend for themselves," Kaguchia said.

The foundation explained that the vocational training program will focus on imparting technical skills in agribusiness, automotive engineering, beauty and personal care, building and construction, and domestic services.

The 2jiajiri program, launched by KCB in 2016, aims to formalize the informal sector and promote self-employment among the youth and small businesses.

The overarching goal is to boost youth micro-businesses in the informal sector and empower them to employ at least five other young individuals, eventually creating 250,000 jobs over five years.

Since its inception, the 2jiajiri program has witnessed remarkable success, with over 20,000 youth receiving skills training.

KCB Foundation has disbursed more than Sh246 million in loans to the youth, enabling capital and asset financing.

As a result, 64,186 jobs have been directly created, and an additional 35,365 jobs have been indirectly generated. Furthermore, the program has incubated 4,158 small businesses within its business development phase.

With the KCB Foundation's support and the Mukurweini constituency's commitment, the youth of the region can now look forward to a brighter future filled with possibilities, armed with the necessary skills and resources to transform their lives and contribute to the nation's economic growth.