Youths to benefit from business training course

Over 5,000 youth in Nyandarua County are set to benefit from a comprehensive business course under the Empowering the Youth for Wealth Creation (EYWC) programme launched last week.

The training is meant to transform the youth groups into companies for ease of trading with the government, and for easier access to credit facilities.

Nyandarua County youth and sports executive Dominic Murani said the project will target 200 youth in each of the 25 wards.

The programme is jointly implemented by the county government and a development partner, Rodi-Kenya.

“We are partnering with Rodi-Kenya to offer the training on various skills aimed at ensuring sustainable job and wealth creation, health and crime free society,” said Mr Murani during the launch at Engineer Catholic Church hall last week.

Rodi-Kenya executive director Eliud Kihoro said areas to be covered include food security using modern youth-friendly farming practices, crime prevention, and application of modern technologies.

“The intention of the programme is to use the youth in transforming rural economies and address farm produce market challenges. Nyandarua is an agricultural county, a rich county, it feeds Nairobi and neighbouring counties yet the same does not reflect in the farmers’ pockets. Value addition is no rocket science; we require no miracle to sell a bucket of potato at Sh1,000 compared with the current Sh200 retail price,” said Mr Kihoro.  

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He said EYWC the programme is a diversification from others run by the organisation targeting prisoners, schools, and community-based organisations.

“We are informed by the fact that youth form the majority of the Kenyan population, yet they are more disadvantaged in terms of resources mobilisation and job opportunities. The overall objective of the skills is to make them job creators, not job seekers,” said Mr Kihoro.