73 Marsabit youths set to benefit from training sponsorship

At least 73 students from Marsabit County are set to benefit from a training sponsorship that will see them enrolled into Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions.

The Wezesha na Vijana programme, under the Safaricom Foundation and Catholic Relief Services,  will enable the youths to increase their employment chances and sharpen their entrepreneurial skills.

Safaricom Foundation representative Nicholas Wechuli said they partnered with Catholic Relief Services to enable youths to shine.

"We are here to award young individuals in Marsabit County who have been selected for TVET scholarships. The beneficiaries have demonstrated their determination and resilience and their readiness to embrace learning to strive for excellence," he said during the Wednesday event.

He said the 3-year funded program will improve access to quality, equitable and inclusive skills and allow vulnerable youths to acquire technical skills.

"Our goal is to upskill the youth in TVET institutions by increasing access to training and employment opportunities while improving TVET infrastructure," he said

Catholic Relief Services Head of  Marsabit Office Ali Dida said they partnered with Safaricon Foundation to focus on meaningful youth engagement.

He said through this scholarship programme, they intend to reach some of the most vulnerable youth from across the country.

Speaking during the scholarship award ceremony at Saku Vocational Training Centre, Marsabit County First Lady Alamitu Guyo Jattani said the program will create pathways to prosperity and open doors of opportunity to vulnerable young individuals.

She said the technical and vocational education training centres will provide best practices in skills training that will effectively address emerging skills gaps.

The first lady said the county government has recognized the need to support students in technical training by providing free training across all 7 TVET centres.

She urged the youth in the county to enrol at their nearest vocational training centres to acquire practical skills.

"The training at technical institutions will equip the young people with technical skills and propel them into self-employment that will help them realize their full potential," she said

"The only way to become independent as youths is to do technical courses. Technical courses can help you to create self-employment as well as acquire employment elsewhere." 

CECM education Ambaro Abdullah lauded the initiative saying it will empower them for a better future.

Nominated MCA Sadia Osman Araru appealed to the government and stakeholders to rebuild the lives of drug addicts by providing a rehabilitation centre in the county.

" If there are rehabilitation centres, it can help to transform and reform the people and bring them back to the society," she said.

Saku VTC principal Guyo Racha lauded the county government and the partners for supporting the training centres financially and materially while offering bursaries and conditional grants to students.

Marsabit Youth Advisory group chairperson Abdiaziz Boru said failure to support TVET colleges will be counterproductive since the government has devolved vocational training centres.

"The TVET sector is being reorganised by the authority as a regulator. The partners in the county should extend their scholarships to the sector," he said

A beneficiary Habiba Ailo from Moyale said she hopes to acquire skills and knowledge after being awarded a scholarship in electrical works