About 500 youths from Likuyani constituency have been commissioned to carry out community work under the National Youth Service (NYS)program. Speaking at Kongoni when he presided over the exercise, Water and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa said that the program aimed at empowering the youth through the creation of employment opportunities as well as improving living standards among slum and
rural folks.
“The project we are launching here today is in line with the government’s agenda to economically empower the Kenyan youths,” said Wamalwa disclosing that a total of Kshs. 31,250,000 had been allocated for the program in Likuyani.
The CS said that in constituencies where the program had already been launched, the youth had benefitted enormously through savings from their daily earnings by training on leadership, entrepreneurship skills among others.
He encouraged the youth under the project to form cooperatives or SACCOs clarifying that a certain amount will be deducted from their daily wages and be saved so that they will be able to access loans at affordable interests and invest in viable and sustainable enterprise
projects once the program was over.
Apart from the NYS program, CS Wamalwa said the government was working in partnership with the private sector to revive some of the collapsed industries as well as well as starting up new ones to create employment opportunities for its citizens.
“We know that without the private sector coming in, the public sector alone cannot create enough jobs for all of you and that’s why the Jubilee government is encouraging the private sector to play a big role in creating employment in our country,” he said adding that the recently launched Breweries plant in Kisumu by President Uhuru Kenyatta was set to create about 100, 000 jobs.
Wamalwa seized the opportunity to urge the youth to be responsible and avoid being used by politicians during this campaign period to engage in violence. He also asked them to support Jubilee government saying it had delivered many of its promises as opposed to the endless opposition’s criticism.
“This is the government that has delivered to its best than the past regimes, let us support it fully and ensure that it is re-elected in the August, 8th polls,” he said.
The CS was accompanied by the NYS Deputy Director General Mr. James Tembur Kipsiele who advised the cohorts to use their savings wisely by starting small businesses and avoid engaging in alcoholism.
“I want to urge all of you who have been enrolled in this program to use your savings wisely, you will be trained on entrepreneurial skills through which we expect you to use the money to start businesses so as to better your lives,” said Mr. Tembur.
The deputy director also asked the youth under the program to be role models to others in society by upholding high levels of discipline while engaging in various community works.
Area MP Dr. Enoch Kibunguchy hailed the government for reviving the project and considering his constituency adding that the NYS program had created many employment opportunities for thousands of youths across the country enabling them to better their living standards.
Works to be done include road rehabilitation, opening clogged drainage, environmental conservation, ensuring general cleanliness of the sub county among others.