More than 2500 Youths in Mandera County have completed a 20-day social-emotional skills development programme under the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA), paving the way for their transition into five months of practical workplace and apprenticeship training.
The completion ceremony brought together beneficiaries from across the county who are set to proceed to the next phase of the programme, the On-the-Job Experience (OJE), where they will gain practical skills and workplace exposure.
Speaking during the ceremony, Abdullahi Yusuf Mohamed, County Director for Youth Affairs under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Creative Economy, said the initial training was aimed at preparing young people for the challenges and opportunities of the workplace.
Mohamed said the beneficiaries will spend a total of six months under the programme, comprising the 20-day social-emotional skills training followed by five months of OJE and apprenticeship training.
The social-emotional skills training was conducted between August 3 and August 23 through 15 approved training centres across Mandera County. Two service providers contracted under the NYOTA programme were responsible for delivering the training.
Mohamed said the participation and presentations by the beneficiaries during the completion ceremonies demonstrated the knowledge and skills they had acquired during the 20-day programme.
He added that attendance was monitored through daily reports from the various centres, with approximately 3,000 youth benefiting from the OJE component across the country.
The NYOTA programme has two major components aimed at improving economic opportunities for young people. According to Mohamed, Component Two has already benefited approximately 2,500 youth in Mandera County, who received grants and start-up capital to establish or strengthen income-generating activities.
Component One, under which the latest group has completed social-emotional skills training, is focused on preparing youth for employment through workplace experience and apprenticeship opportunities.
Mandera County Executive Committee Member for Social Development, Mohamed Ali Omar, has urged the youth benefiting from the NYOTA programme to take the opportunity seriously and make full use of the skills and experience being offered.
Omar encouraged the youth to remain committed throughout the programme, saying the training provides an important pathway to gaining practical skills, workplace experience and opportunities that can improve their livelihoods.
The programme is expected to give beneficiaries practical exposure while strengthening their employability, entrepreneurial skills and ability to transition into sustainable livelihoods.
The completion of the 20-day training marks the beginning of the next phase, with the beneficiaries now preparing to join different workplaces and apprenticeship opportunities for the next five months.
By Adan Mohamed.
