More than 600 youths in Kericho county are set to acquire technical skills, professional certification, and employment opportunities following a new partnership between the Kericho Jua Kali Association and Kericho Township Technical and Vocational College.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two institutions aims to formalize training, enhance innovation, and provide Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for artisans who have acquired skills informally over the years. Already, more than 60 young people have been trained, with hundreds more expected to benefit in the coming year.
Speaking to KNA at the Talai Affordable Housing Project in Kericho, the association’s official in charge of creative Arts, Mr. Clement Uchola Orinda, said the initiative is playing a transformative role in equipping young people with market-ready skills in trades such as welding, carpentry, masonry, and fabrication.
He explained that Talai, one of the flagship housing projects in Kericho County, has evolved into a practical training ground where trainees from local TVET institutions and the Juakali sector are applying classroom knowledge in real construction work. According to Mr. Orinda, this hands-on exposure is sharpening their technical abilities, enhancing employability, and at the same time allowing them to earn an income as they contribute to a national development agenda.
“Affordable housing is not only putting money in our pockets but also giving our young people the chance to gain hands-on experience. Even those who dropped out of school or college are now learning trades that will sustain them long after the construction phase,” Orinda explained.
The Association’s chairman, Mr. Moses Koech, underscored that the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) programme has become a game-changer for artisans, enabling them to formalize their skills through certification and thereby positioning them as highly employable and competitive professionals in an increasingly demanding job market.
“Many of our members had the skills but lacked documentation. With RPL, they are now being assessed and certified, which empowers them to compete for jobs and government contracts. This recognition is uplifting our youth and aligning them with national development goals,” he said.
The Association, which brings together hundreds of artisans, is also positioning itself as a hub for youth training and incubation, with more than 600 trainees projected to graduate from its programmes within the next year.
According to the Association’s Marketing Officer, Ms. Susan Rotich, women have become some of the major beneficiaries of the juakali programme, with the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) initiative playing a central role in boosting their participation. She noted that RPL has enabled many women artisans, some of whom acquired skills informally, to gain official certification, thereby opening doors to greater opportunities in technical fields.
“We are proud to see our girls embracing engineering, welding, and other trades that were once considered male-dominated. Through RPL, women who previously worked without recognition are now earning certificates that validate their skills, making them more competitive in the job market. Affordable housing projects have also enhanced inclusivity, giving our daughters a chance to gain lifelong skills, secure employment, and contribute meaningfully to the county’s development,” Rotich said.
Frank Githinji, the Association’s Ethics and Governance Officer, said the new model has been designed to strategically combine technical training, business incubation, and financial literacy. He explained that this holistic approach is meant to equip the youth with practical skills, entrepreneurial capacity, and financial discipline, enabling them to transition smoothly into both the job market and self-employment. According to him, the initiative also seeks to position Kericho Jua Kali as a centre of innovation and growth, capable of nurturing artisans into competitive industry players.
“Our vision is not only to prepare young people for the jobs of today but also to empower them to become tomorrow’s business owners and innovators. By granting them access to modern machinery, financial guidance, and a supportive incubation platform, we are laying the foundation for Kericho Jua Kali to grow into a model cottage industry with transformative and long-lasting impact,” he asserted.
RPL coordinator at Kericho Township Technical and Vocational College, Ms. Viola Chepngetich Kirui, highlighted that the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) programme has greatly enhanced the role of TVET institutions in formalizing skills and bridging gaps in certification. She explained that the surge in demand for RPL reflects the growing appreciation of technical competencies as a pathway to both employment and entrepreneurship.
“Since 2024, we have enrolled 217 candidates under the programme. With just Sh2,500, an artisan can graduate with a certificate that carries the same recognition as that of a formally trained student. This has opened opportunities for many young people who possess hands-on skills but previously lacked the papers to prove their abilities,” Ms. Kirui affirmed.
Stakeholders are now calling on the government to scale up investment in the Juakali sector by providing modern equipment, incubation centres, and additional funding to sustain the current momentum. They stress that such support is crucial to ensure that the 600 targeted trainees are not only absorbed into employment but also positioned as future innovators in Kenya’s industrial growth.
With the Affordable Housing programme offering a practical training ground, the initiative is aligning directly with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
By anchoring skills for development to real projects, the partnership is preparing youth for long-term opportunities in construction, manufacturing, and entrepreneurship. This approach is shaping the future of Juakali as a structured, modernized sector—building a skilled workforce, strengthening families, and cementing TVET institutions as engines of sustainable development.
By Gilbert Mutai
