About 150 beneficiaries of KCB Foundation’s 2Jiajiri programme graduated yesterday with diplomas and certificates from Mawego TTI in Homa Bay County.

The 150 graduates are the second cohort, sponsored through KCB Foundation’s 2jiajiri programme, to graduate under the partnership between KCB Foundation and Mawego TTI.

The two entities partnered in 2021 - intending to formalize the informal sector through upskilling of artisans.

PHOTO | COURTESY:  Director Technical Education Tom Mulati (left), KCB Foundation Chairman Dr. Austen Baraza (centre) and Mawego TTI Principal Dr. John Abuto during the 5th graduation ceremony at Mawego Technical Training Institute in Homa Bay County.

Among the 150 trainees, 108 were trained in construction courses (e.g., electrical, masonry, plumbing and welding) while 42 were trained in domestic services (e.g. bakery).

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 Twenty-two received construction toolkits to start individual and group-owned enterprises.

 Head of KCB Foundation Caroline Wanjeri noted that the Foundation has been at the forefront of promoting sustainable development through empowering communities, slaying unemployment and providing humanitarian support in Kenya and beyond over the last seven years.

“We are most proud of the 2Jiajiri programme through which we provide vocational and technical training and business development support to the youth across the region," she said.

Further, she noted that the 2Jiajiri programme was launched in 2016 to create 250,000 jobs over five years by developing the blue-collar jobs economy; making it more appealing to the youth population.

 Since its launch, the program has created 64,186 direct jobs and 385,008 indirect jobs cumulatively.

The Education CS Ezekiel Machogu, reiterated the importance of Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) centres, especially in absorbing the high number of KCSE graduates who do not get the opportunity to join universities.

He also expressed his amusement of the youth and society overcoming the erring belief that white-collar jobs are better than blue-collar jobs.

“ We must continue to embrace the blue-collar economy to accelerate the industrialization and socio-economic development of our country,” he said.

On her part, Hon. Gladys Wanga stated that the County Government of Homa Bay will partner with KCB Foundation and other stakeholders to bolster programmes such as 2Jiajiri that seek to empower and elevate the youth economically.

This was the school’s 5th graduation ceremony that saw 2,000 trainees receive the ‘powers to read’.