The Bungoma Jitume Centre Manager, Dennis Asachita has underscored that apart from gaining digital skills, students being trained under the Jitume program also learn how to earn an income through online jobs offered on various platforms on the internet.
Asachita, who was speaking at a centre in Bungoma South Sub-County, Bungoma County, said that currently 200 students at Bungoma National Polytechnic are undergoing the digital training alongside their normal lessons.
He said that plans were underway to have youths in the community surrounding the institution benefit from the training to enable them to access digital skills and eventually get opportunities to earn an income through online jobs.
Jitume, an initiative by the Ministry of Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy, aims at providing the youth with access to digital services, skills, and opportunities to participate in internet activities.
It encourages the youth to take it upon themselves to work diligently and utilize the digital space and secure online jobs to earn a sustainable livelihood.
The Manager of Knowledge Economy and Innovation for the Technopolis Development Authority, Ruth Murithi, who visited the hub, said that the program aims at providing devices to the hubs for the training of the youths, through which they are able to get connections to jobs worldwide.
She said that the organization was working with several partners to ensure that the program benefits youths countrywide in this era of digital transformation.
The Principal of the Bungoma National Polytechnic, Dr. Godfrey Murunga, said that the mission of the institution was to empower the youths so that they do not stay idle and enable them to have skills to earn an income.
He said that the initiative was an effective approach to engaging the youth and called for support for the institution, which he said was working towards acquiring more devices and infrastructure to enable it to train more students.
One of the beneficiaries of Jitume program Nickson Mulongo called on youths to take up the training saying it had enabled him earn income through online jobs for the last two years.
He noted that online jobs require patience and resilience and asked youths to utilize the opportunities given and earn an income.
By Catherine Nyongesa
