By Pauline Kwamboka
The Director of Youth Development Bungoma county Mr. Martin Mabonga has called upon all youth within the county to come out in large numbers and apply for the Kenya Youth Employment Opportunity Program (KYEOP) whose application is still ongoing.
Mr. Mabonga says blue collar jobs are turning out to be a great source of livelihood for youth in the country, urging youth in the region to embrace the same instead of waiting for white collar jobs.
“The program, which is a national project that began 6 years ago, was effected for the first time in Bungoma county in the year 2019 with youth enrolling for dress making, car spraying and hair dressing.’’
This being the third year that Bungoma is benefiting the Youth Director says they are using social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook to reach as many youth as possible.
On challenges the department is facing in implementing the project, Mabonga adds that failure to give accurate information especially bank details has rendered many trainees unpaid.
‘’This is a unique opportunity for youth, and has had its fair share of challenges, amongst them the failure by the registered youth to give their bank details to ease stipend payment,’’ Mabonga concluded.
Mr. Timothy Ejilo, the officer in charge of Uwezo fund, another National Government’s initiatives that empowers youth, women and people living with disability, expresses the Government’s commitment in empowering young people, women as well as people with disability.
He urged people in the above groups interested in poultry keeping, brick making, bodaboda sector and other viable projects to apply for the fund since they qualify and it’s friendly as it doesn’t attract any interests.
’’So far, 146 groups have benefited from the Uwezo Fund, and we are still urging more and more people to apply for the same so as to change their lives.” said Ejilo.
Other youths residing within counties such as Kakamega, Kilifi, Machakos, Mandera and Wajir are also invited to cycle 6 months training and internship of the project.
Kenya Youth Employment Opportunity Program (KYEOP) is National Government project that aims to benefit youth from Nairobi, Mombasa, Kwale, Kisumu, Nakuru, Migori, Kiambu, Kitui, Turkana, Nyandarua, Kakamega, Kilifi, Mandera, Bungoma, Machakos, Kisii and Wajir with business support, training and internship opportunities for youth.