Teenage mothers are among hundreds of youths in Laikipia County targeted in a digital literacy drive aimed at equipping them with skills to make earnings from the comfort of their homes.
The initiative is a partnership between a local Community Based Organization-Drawing Dreams Initiative (DDI) and the government’s Ajira Digital Programme under the State Department of Information and Communication Technology and the Digital Economy.
DDI founder Grace Wanene says the campaign is targeting some 500 youth from across the county to be trained on the use of digital tools and applications accessible on mobile phones, including artificial intelligence, which can be conveniently utilised in generating content for various online clients.
“At the Ndoto Community Hub, we welcome young people to come with their laptops and smartphones and utilise our internet connection to learn and work online,” she said.
Community hubs called Ndoto Hubs: Ms Wanene revealed that they were established where Trainers of Trainers will be equipped with skills and safety precautions on content creation and then pass this knowledge to their peers.
She highlighted that the initiative aims at making youths, most of whom are addicted to smartphones, not only be consumers of digital content but also generate their own for target markets.
’’Through Ajira Digital training, youths are learning how to use their smartphones and other devices to access opportunities in the digital space and improve their livelihoods,” pointed out Wanene.
Ms Gathoni Wanjiku, a content creator based in Nanyuki and one of the trainees, said the initiative sharpened her skills and renewed her ambition to pursue digital marketing full-time.
“I recently ventured into digital marketing and the training has given me the knowledge I need to grow my career further,” she said.
She noted that the sessions helped participants understand how to create distinctive online content.
“Most of the time you find yourself posting content that looks similar to someone else’s, but everyone wants to stand out. We have learned how to use different apps to make our content more appealing and visible,” she said.
Ms Wanjiku underscored that artificial intelligence tools have significantly lowered the barriers to entry for aspiring digital professionals.
“Today, many AI tools are available for free. You can start your journey in digital marketing without even having capital,” she said.
Another beneficiary, Mr Dickson Wanjohi, a photographer based in Nanyuki, said the training had helped him integrate technology into his photography business.
“I have learned how to link my photography work with AI tools to make my work faster and more efficient,” he said.
Wanjohi urged more young people to take advantage of such training opportunities and called for the expansion of the programme.
“I encourage more youth to attend the next training sessions and I appeal for more training days so that more people can benefit,” he said.
According to the Communication Authority of Kenya, use of mobile phones is on a steady rise, with about 43 million smartphones connected to mobile networks in the country, with 93 per cent of households having at least one mobile phone.
By Muturi Mwangi
