- Most of the youths were jobless but with the equipment, they will now be able to eke a living.
- Wangari said the government has been investing towards supporting Kenyans at the grassroots.
Six youth groups from Kigumo constituency in Murang’a have received working tools from the Small and Micro-Entererises Authority to start income-generating activities.
The groups received welding machines, woodwork equipment, car wash machines, welding shields, head gears, safety gloves, ear plugs and eye protection glasses.
Each group has a membership of between 35 to 40 and they were first required to register their associations under Smea to qualify for the donations.
They were also vetted by Smea and supported to establish sheds to conduct their businesses and small storage facilities to keep their tools.
Most of the youths were jobless but with the equipment, they will now be able to eke a living.
Smea director of infrastructure said their focus is to support entrepreneurs.
“One of the ways we support entrepreneurs is by providing tools of trade and basic capacity-building training,” he said.
In the last two financial years, Smea has invested Sh1.3 billion in supporting small and medium traders across the country.
It has established 158 constituency industrial development centres which are equipped with machines and technology to promote industrial development.
Artisans are also trained to produce high-quality products that can sell nationally and globally.
“We are focused on growing the sector and supporting it to achieve sustainability and global competitiveness, where artisans can produce products that can sell outside Kenya and take advantage of various trade agreements,” he said.
About 16 million Kenyans are in small and micro-entrepreneurship, some employed while others are singular entrepreneurs.
Women, however, have been noted to keep off technical work in manufacturing such as welding and carpentry but many are engaging in tailoring.
Karani said Smea is encouraging diversity in economic generating activities and the artistic aspect of both men and women needs to be explored to encourage inclusiveness.
He encouraged more groups to register to benefit from the government’s programmes, saying the authority is accessible online.
“These are some of the benefits. These associations were registered and that is why we have been able to support them,” he said.
Kigumo MP Wangari Mwaniki said the youths were engaging in alcoholism before the government moved in to eradicate the consumption of second-generation liquor.
She said she managed to consolidate the youth in groups to make them more productive.
This has made the constituency the home of the best bodaboda organisations while others youths are engaged in farming, welding, car wash and carpentry, she said.
The constituency industrial development centre set to be established will help other groups join the tailoring and bakery business.
“We want the bread consumed in the constituency and uniforms to be made by residents. Kigumo people will no longer travel to Murang’a town to buy metallic doors because our people will be making them,” she said.
Wangari said the government has been investing towards supporting Kenyans at the grassroots.
“Government institutions are functioning well, and only need to be strengthened to work better. What we are doing here is empowering these youths and it is what they are calling bottom-up,” she said.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)