• Kingi said most youth, especially in Mombasa, used to depend on the transport and logistics industry as their main income earner.
• The SGR policy has brought problems, youths must innovate to earn an income.
Youths at the Coast need to be innovative and diversify their sources of income, Mombasa Deputy Governor William Kingi has said.
Kingi said most youths, especially in Mombasa, depend on the transport and logistics industry as their main income earner.
“But after the SGR policy that has brought problems, things have gone south. That is why we have to use our innovation and creativity to earn a living,” Kingi said.
He spoke on Thursday during the pre-launch of the second Pwani Innovation Week scheduled for December 3 to 6.
Swahilipot Hub board chairman and the Pwani Innovation Week founder Mahmoud Noor said the innovation hub seeks to inculcate the culture of creativity and innovation in youth for self-employment.
“With the advent of the blue economy in the region, there are numerous opportunities that youth can get and take advantage of,” Noor said.
He said innovation is not only about technology.
“It is also about finding alternative, creative or cheaper ways of doing things other than the conventional way,” Noor said.
Kingi said that the Mombasa county government is ready to help Mombasa youth who exhibit high level of innovation in partnership with Swahilipot and other development partners.
Already, 225 youth from the county have been earmarked for start-up capital from the county after they graduated from the Swahilipot incubation process.
Another 15 persons with disabilities are currently undergoing training in Egypt courtesy of the county government and are set to be provided with start-up capital upon their return.
Noor said this year’s Pwani Innovation Week will be conducted in all the six counties of the Coast region.
The inaugural event last year only took place in Mombasa.
On Thursday, Noor said the innovation week is set to attract over 2,000 youth from across the region who will have a chance to showcase their new ideas.
There are different partners including teleco Huawei who are ready to recruit and train the most innovative minds.