Voi Assistant County Commissioner Irene Ndambuki tries one of the laptops at the ICT hub in Voi library.
Voi Constituency in Taita-Taveta County has launched the first ICT Hub as part of efforts to get thousands of jobless youths to enroll for online jobs and enhance digital literacy in the region.
Voi Member of Parliament (MP) Johnes Mlolwa said the hub would serve over 5,000 youths from the six locations in the expansive sub-county.
Speaking during the official opening of the hub on Thursday, the legislator termed the hub as the initial step towards introducing youths to the infinite potential of the internet and possibilities of making a meaningful livelihood from online jobs and other business opportunities.
The hub is located inside the newly built Voi Public Library. “The world has gone digital. What we are doing is providing both framework and infrastructure for our young people to exploit the potential of the internet to earn a living,” he said.
The ICT Hub was set up at a cost of Sh 1.3 million. It has over 10 laptops and is connected to high-speed internet.
The MP said there were plans to collaborate with the Ministry of ICT and Youth affairs to explore the possibility of establishing such hubs in all the six wards in the sub-county.
County Women Representative Lydia Haika who had accompanied the legislator urged the youth to make use of the hub. She stated that the digital revolution meant the youth can work from their homes.
She called for more investments in the youth sector to advance their information and technology skills.
“This is the future of work in the country. With Covid-19, we learnt that people can earn a living from working online,” she said.
During the launch, the two leaders also visited an Ajira training session where they were taken through a presentation on how the Ajira digital program works. The training targets over 5,000 youths in Voi sub-county.
To reach the maximum number of youths, the officials running the program will use chiefs’ barazas to engage the youth and inform them of the benefits of the programs.
By Wagema Mwangi
