Busia county, KCB Foundation partner to empower youth

Business
By Mary Imenza | Apr 17, 2024
KCB branch at Kipande House along Kenyatta Aenue, Nairobi. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

KCB Foundation has partnered with the Busia county government to offer youths startup capital to expand the informal sector.

The county government unveiled a Sh35 million '2Jiajiri program' for skills development which targets about 1,000 youths.

Speaking during the launch of the programme at Matayos Vocational Training Center, Busia Deputy Governor Arthur Odera, said that youths in the county have potential to harness business opportunities, especially in the technical industry.

Odera said that the border town of Busia has many business opportunities that are yet to be tapped.

"I assure the trainees that the county government will fully support them during their training period and at the certification level. I urge each trainee to tap into entrepreneurial opportunities along the border," he said.

The deputy governor said KCB will offer loans to youths as most of them have equipment but lack capital to start business.

He announced that youths who graduated from Technical And Vocational Education and Training (TVET) will be given priority during award of tenders to complete stalled Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) centres across the 35 wards.

"We are very deliberate in ensuring that at least all trainees from Busia get a placement to train and practice on their skills," he said.

Odera revealed that the county and KCB Foundation, will pay school fees for youths who join TVETs to enable them to acquire technical skills.

He challenged youths to join TVET institutions to sharpen their skills and abilities.

KCB Foundation Busia branch manager Christopher Komen assured of support not only in education but also in other sectors to improve locals livelihood.

"We realised many youths don't have jobs and not all can go to university, but many have the potential if given the right technical skills and supported in the right way including access to credit and our main agenda is to create impact and empower them," he said.

Share this story
Senators raise concern over Sh500 million Kilifi Industrial park project
The Senate Committee on Trade, Industrialisation and Tourism has raised concerns over the implementation status of the Sh500 million County Aggregated Industrial Park in Kilifi County.
Designing finance model that helps women owned businesses grow
Governments, financial institutions and development partners have worked to reduce collateral requirements, digitise lending, simplify applications and make more funds available for lending.
Rising aviation costs, high levies squeeze African airlines' profits
African airlines are facing growing financial pressure from high taxes, passenger charges and regulatory levies, with IATA warning that rising costs are undermining profitability.
Deal lets jobless Kenyans own e-scooters, start delivery businesses
Unemployed people could enter Africa’s last-mile delivery business without paying a deposit under a new model that will finance electric scooters through future earnings.
Kenyan banks becoming engine behind East Africa's economic growth
Kenya’s economic growth is trailing its East African peers, raising questions about why the region’s largest economy has struggled to keep pace.
.
RECOMMENDED NEWS