More than one million youths from the lake region will benefit from a fish project developed to cushion them against the effects of Covid-19.
The youth targeted are those who lost their livelihoods in aquaculture and other activities in the fish value chain. The project project named 'Jobless Lives Matter' has been rolled out in Kisumu, Siaya, Busia and Kakamega counties.
Through support from the World Bank, the county governments will harness resources to promote fish farming, establish fish markets and develop fish value chains to create job opportunities for the youth.
The project is also aimed at boosting farm fish production to control overfishing in Lake Victoria. It will run for two years and shall be coordinated by wives of governors of the four counties. They will identify the youths to be enrolled in the programme.
Project secretariat coordinator Timothy Odende said during the launch in Kisumu on Thursday that the project will improve the economy of the region at the same time help the youths who lost their jobs.
Odende said the recruitment shall be done at the grassroots with each ward in the four counties producing 4,000 youths. He said the governors' wives will use their networks to identify the kind of projects to be funded along the fish value chain.
“Fish farming has the potential of turning around the lives of the youths to save them from depression and engaging in drugs and improve their lives,” he said.
Siaya Governor Cornel Rasanga said they will ensure the project succeeds with the support of development partners.
Rasanga stated that the youths will be engaged in construction of fish ponds, fish markets, cages and other infrastructure required to roll out the project.
Rosella Rasanga, Judy Ojaamong (Busia), Dorothy Nyong’o (Kisumu) and Priscilla Oparanya (Kakamega) pledged their support to make the project a success.
Judy said the project was a long-term solution to youth unemployment. She said already in Busia county they have similar projects that are transforming the lives of youths.
“A modern fish market has been constructed in Busia where hundreds of youths earn a living,” she said.
Rosella said farm fish production and cage farming would boost food security in the area and improve on nutrition of the residents. Her Kakamega counterpart said the project would play a leading role in post-Covid economy recovery in the area.
Edited by Henry Makori
