Thousands of youths from the Lake region stand to benefit from a Sh100 million scholarship to develop digital intelligence skills.
The centre to be set up in Kisumu county is a partnership between United Cities and Local Government of Africa, 01 Talent Africa and LakeHub.
This will make Kisumu the first county to host the first digital intelligence centre in the country dubbed 01 zone Kisumu.
According to UCLGA Secretary general Jean Pierre Elong Mbassi, the centre aim to accelerate digital transformation of African local authorities.
Mbassi said this is by enabling the massificaton of world class digital skills through an innovative and inclusive training excellence and employment offer in Africa.
He said it will churn out local digital talent for Africa equipped with cutting edge skills in Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence which will not only create employment opportunities but also beef up Africa’s digital space workforce to be at par with the developed world.
Addressing the media in Kisumu, he said it was important that African countries work towards producing 500,000 digital talents over the next 10 years to address the widening digital divide.
Mbassi further added that other sub national governments across the continent were set to benchmark and learn from the centre.
Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong’o however noted that counties within the Lake Region Economic Bloc stand to benefit immensely from the project to open up opportunities in the digital space.
Nyong'o while lauding the partnership said the centre will act as a vehicle to accelerate development and at the same time position Kisumu as a business hub.
The hub will open this July with the first cohort expected to start the training before the end of the year.
Those who pass the tests will undergo peer to peer learning and group problem solving before the first 100 beneficiaries are picked to start the training.
Successful candidates will secure jobs at the 01 talent academy while others will be placed in partner companies within Kisumu.
01 Talent Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Deror Sultan said youth is a priority and they want to give them hope and unleash their creative potential to contribute to the innovation and digital transformation of the world.
He said their main goal is to develop human capital through an inclusive and sustainable approach to facilitate the digital and social transition.
"By creating Zone01 Centres of Collective Intelligence in partnership with local authorities, we offer African youth the opportunity to unleash their creative potential and lead the digital transformation of the continent," Sultan said.
The Lakehub Director of Programmes Dorcas Owino said the Zone01 Kisumu, will serve as a beacon of opportunity, welcoming hundreds of young talents from Western Kenya and beyond within the Kisumu Business and Innovation Centre.
In an increasingly digital world, Owino said the demand for skilled professionals is soaring, creating a global shortage of qualified talent.
"Zone01 Kisumu rises to this challenge, ensuring our local businesses and territories have access to agile, autonomous, and collaborative talents. "She said through the power of peer-to-peer digital education and the extraordinary potential of Kenyan youth, they are paving the way for a future where Africa takes the lead in the digital realm.
"Our focus is clear: empowering the youth, igniting hope, and unleashing their creative potential to contribute to global innovation and the digital transformation of our world."
She said they are committed to developing human capital through an inclusive and sustainable approach, facilitating both the digital and social transition.
"Seize this opportunity with both hands. Embrace the digital world, for it is your canvas, your platform for expression, and your gateway to limitless opportunities. Let no one tell you that you cannot achieve greatness because you can."
