• Kazi Mtaani was initially to end in March but President Uhuru Kenyatta extended it for another month.
• The youths want another extension.
The National Hygiene Programme has improved the lives of youths enrolled in Trans Mara West and they want it extended again.
Kazi Mtaani was initially to end in March but President Uhuru Kenyatta extended it for another month. The youths want another extension.
Workers who spoke to KNA in Kilgoris said they have received important life skills like hygiene, family planning, financial management and ICT in addition to the cash.
Richard Obege said the weekly wages from Kazi Mtaani helped him build a house for his young family. His previously lived in an expensive rented house.
“I have been saving the money and lucky enough, I have built a house on the land I inherited from my father, where my young family is currently living. I plead with President Kenyatta to extend the programme which has raised our standards of living,” he said.
Truvena Kemunto said her three children used to sleep hungry, but have not gone to bed without food since she joined the programme.
“I lived a very desperate life. My children were walking and begging on the streets like the street children. I could not afford to dress well. Now I feel a person enough even to interact with different people in society,” she said.
Kemunto asked the government to expand the programme as it has helped thousands of youths across the country.
Lilian Cherono lauded the project, saying besides the personal benefits, the sanitation in the town had improved a lot.
“We have planted flowers in various departmental offices, cleared long grass besides the roads, opened drainages among other activities that have beautified our town,” she said.
David Letaya said the financial management topic offered every Thursday has taught him how to save for the future.
“I personally have never opened a bank account, but we have had bank managers coming to train us on how to open the accounts and save money,” he said.
Letaya said that the group has been taught how to access loans from Uwezo Fund, Youth Enterprise Fund, Women Enterprise Development Fund and the National Government Affirmative Action Fund.
Trans Mara West youth officer David Karuna said the subcounty has absorbed 780 youths from Migingo, Kibera and Majengo slums.
He commended the youth for the good work they were doing, saying crimes reported have reduced.
“I appreciate the fact that I have seen some opening car wash businesses, buying motorbikes for business, selling vegetables, opening salons and barber shops. This is very encouraging because before, some of these youth were idling in town,” he said.
He said the youths had planted over 5,000 tree seedlings in different institutions in the subcounty since July last year.
The youths get a daily wage of Sh455 with their supervisors getting Sh500, that is channelled through their M-Pesa account after a fortnight.
(edited by o. owino)