Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi on Friday presided over the launch of the Western region’s second disbursement of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Programme in Kakamega.
The event, held at the Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) grounds in Kakamega, and which brought together young people and NYOTA beneficiaries from the four counties of the region including Kakamega, Busia, Bungoma and Vihiga was part of the nationwide rollout of the programme’s second phase.
Under the programme, a total of 3 billion shillings is being disbursed to 122,000 NYOTA beneficiaries across all the 47 counties to help in expanding access of affordable financing for young entrepreneurs.
Mudavadi, who is also Cabinet Secretary, Diaspora Affairs said Kenya’s greatest asset is its youthful population, adding that investing in young people’s talent, enterprise and ambition remains one of the surest ways of building a stronger and more prosperous nation.
He said the second phase of the NYOTA Programme builds on the success recorded during the first disbursement, where many beneficiaries have already established businesses and started earning a living through the seed capital provided by the government
The PCS noted that the programme targets an overall 820,000 vulnerable and marginalized youth across all 1,450 wards in the country by providing entrepreneurship training, start-up capital, mentorship, and financial literacy, market linkages, skills development, Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and on-the-job experience.
He said the programme targets youth aged 18 to 29 years, with eligibility extended to 35 years for Persons with Disabilities, to ensure more young Kenyans access opportunities for economic empowerment.
The Prime Cabinet Secretary said that at a time when the global demand for jobs continues to outpace supply, investing in young people is both an economic necessity and a national priority.
He added that through the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), the government is equipping young people with the skills, capital and opportunities needed to become job creators rather than job seekers, thereby strengthening local economies and reducing unemployment.
“Through the Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), the government is committed to equipping young people to become job creators rather than job seekers, strengthening local economies, reducing unemployment and unlocking Kenya’s greatest resource, its youthful population,” said Mudavadi.
Mudavadi urges beneficiaries to invest the funds in productive ventures and manage their businesses responsibly to ensure long-term growth and sustainability.
Speaking at the same event, Kakamega governor Fernandes Barasa announced that young people who establish businesses in Kakamega using the NYOTA Fund will not be required to obtain county business licenses during the two-year start-up phase, saying the waiver is intended to reduce the cost of doing business and allow beneficiaries to invest more resources in expanding their enterprises.
He said the county government is committed to supporting youth entrepreneurship by creating a favourable business environment, adding that the county will continue partnering with the national government in implementing programmes that create employment and improve the livelihoods of young people.
The governor also encourages beneficiaries to make use of the entrepreneurship and financial management training offered under the programme to enhance the sustainability of their businesses.
Beneficiaries who spoke during the event say the programme is changing their lives by enabling them to start and expand businesses.
Ruto Ochego, a beneficiary, says the Sh22,000 seed capital received during the first phase enables him to start a second-hand clothing (mtumba) business, which has since grown to generate between Sh80,000 and Sh90,000 in sales.
Another beneficiary Ruth Shiudu from Bungoma said she used the grant to expand her nail business into a beauty salon, where she now offers hair and beauty services while employing two young women.
The beneficiaries also commend the entrepreneurship training offered under the programme, saying it equips them with practical skills in business planning, financial management and customer relations, enabling them to grow sustainable enterprises.
The newly enrolled beneficiaries from western region comprise 698 from Kakamega County, 678 from Busia, 458 from Bungoma and 321 from Vihiga, bringing the total number of new beneficiaries in the Western region to 2,115. The region also has 12,016 beneficiaries who enrolled during the first phase of the programme.
By George Kaiga and Cypron Esolio
