USAID TUMIKIA MTOTO PROGRAMME EMPOWERS 100 YOUNG WOMEN TO JOIN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Over 100 young empowered women to join construction companies. PHOTO / VERA SHAWIZA

USAID TUMIKIA MTOTO PROGRAMME EMPOWERS 100 YOUNG WOMEN TO JOIN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

By Vera Shawiza

The Family Group Foundation and the

USAID Tumikia Mtoto project implemented

by World Vision Kenya have today held a

graduation ceremony for 100 DREAMS young

women bringing the total number

impacted under this partnership to

nearly 300 women trained and certified

in plumbing, electrical and painting

skills.

This partnership has seen 80 percent of

the young women trained transition to

internships and acquire decently paid

work in various construction sites. The

KES 30 million partnership is aimed at

enhancing the employability, income, and

livelihoods of the vulnerable young

women within the DREAMS program, aged 18

to 24, from Nairobi and Kiambu

Counties, while boosting their technical

skill sets.

Speaking during the graduation of 100

young women from Cohort 3, the Family

Bank CEO highlighted the need for

finding institutional solutions to

bridge the gender gap.

“Adolescent girls and young women

continue to confront a myriad of

challenges to fulfill their potential.

We, therefore, recognize the

responsibility that lies on both private

and public sector players,” said Family

Bank CEO Rebecca Mbithi.

“As a Bank and in line with our

strategy, the acceleration and

continuity of this program demonstrate

our commitment to creating equitable

access to job opportunities for

vulnerable young women. These technical

skills and the increased resources for

and investment in young women will

provide opportunities for them to be

changemakers driving progress in their

communities and building back stronger

for all,” she said.

“I would like to congratulate USAID,

World Vision, Family Bank and The Family

Group Foundation for taking up such a

noble cause. The skillsets that these

girls have acquired will be of long-term

benefit to them when employed and even

when they do start their businesses. I

cannot overemphasize the importance of

mentorship and economic empowerment as

demonstrated here today,” said Central

Bank of Kenya Governor Dr. Patrick

Njoroge.

This partnership is under the

Foundation’s Shared Values Initiatives

in construction, entrepreneurship,

development, and business management

services dubbed the Tufuzu Youth

Entrepreneurship Development Project,

which provides young adults technical

training and access to labor markets,

financing, and linkages to other

strategic partners and the USAID Tumikia

Mtoto project’s DREAMS program which is

an HIV prevention initiative. DREAMS

continuously links beneficiaries to

existing private-public-partnerships

such as this for a broader range of

economic strengthening opportunities

thereby empowering young women and

reducing their risk of HIV infection.

To better prepare the trainees for the

job market, the USAID Tumikia Mtoto

program also equips all the graduates

with state-of-the-art construction tool

kits at no cost, which are usually an

expensive investment for new

professionals in the blue-collar

economy. The tool kits equip the young

graduates for the labor market and set

them apart as employees of choice for

construction companies.

“The U.S. government is proud to support

this DREAMS cohort. Young girls and

women in Kenya hold unlimited potential.

They constitute more than half of the

productive population and can make

significant contributions towards

Kenya’s development. To the graduates,

congratulations! All of your hard work

and perseverance have led you to this

proud moment in your lives. You are an

inspiration to us all, and I know you

will continue to make us proud,” said

John Kuehnle, USAID Health Office

Director.

The partnership also seeks to increase

the economic stability of households to

care for and protect orphans and

vulnerable children and to strengthen

the capacity of community systems and

structures through practical soft and

hard skills training. The young women

are not only trained in technical skills

but are also equipped with soft skills

in communication, financial planning, as

well as sexual and reproductive health

information.

“We are proud that our graduates

exemplify each of the DREAMS ideals.

DREAMS works to empower at-risk young

women to access gainful economic

empowerment opportunities thus reducing

their predisposition to HIV/AIDS and its

effects,” said Mr. Paul Lilan the World

Vision Kenya Board Chairman.

“As World Vision Kenya, we present

graduates who are determined, resilient,

and now empowered as electricians and

plumbers. Having also undergone

mentorship, they are ready to create or

support thriving businesses and careers

in the lucrative blue-collar economy,”

he said.

The technical skills training is

executed by Arc Skills, a leading

provider of skills and development

solutions for schools, universities, and

businesses. The training provided for

young women is certified by the National

Industrial Training Authority (NITA)

and the National Construction Authority

(NCA).

In June 2022, 176 young women and

adolescent girls under the first and

second cohorts graduated into the trades

of plumbing, electrical, and painting,

bringing the total number of technical

and vocational graduates to 276.

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