Uasin Gishu County Government, in partnership with Kenya Informal Settlements Improvement Project (KISIP) and the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme, has successfully completed a two-day handover exercise, transferring trainees from seven informal settlements to the designated trainers and trainer assistants.
This marks the start of a 45-day intensive training programme for over 350 youth identified from Maili Nne, Shauri Moyo, Mwanzo, Kipkaren, KK, Segero, and Kasarani informal settlements.
The programme is designed to equip participants with social-emotional skills that will empower them to become financially independent, socially responsible, and resilient.
County Executive Committee Member for Lands, Physical Planning, Housing, and Urban Development, Edward Sawe, lauded the initiative, describing it as transformative.
He urged the youth to approach the training with dedication, emphasising its potential to positively change their lives.
Chief Officer for Housing and Urban Development, Mary Kerich, assured participants of the department’s full support to ensure smooth implementation of the programme and thanked them for selecting Uasin Gishu as a beneficiary county.
NYOTA Program National Coordinator Janet Ochieng commended the County Government of Uasin Gishu for its exceptional coordination. She officially handed over the training manuals and curriculum to the trainers and the CECM, signalling the commencement of the training period.
The NYOTA Program’s Socio-Emotional Skills Development (SESD) component focuses on equipping youth aged 18-29 (up to 35 for PWDs) with essential soft skills for workplace readiness and employability. The training covers communication, teamwork, problem-solving, self-awareness, adaptability, discipline, and financial literacy, serving as a precursor to technical, on-the-job training.
Also in attendance were Director of Housing Beatrice Menjo, County Director of Youth Gladys Tuitoek, Mr. Moreno, KISIP National Project Coordinator Representative Edson Moreno, and Wagura Theuri, Accountant at the State Department of Housing and Urban Development, among others.
By Ekuwam Sylvester
