Eastern and Southern Africa job creation efforts received a major boost after 50 young people in Matuga graduated with technical skills and business training courtesy of KCB Foundation’s youth enterprise development and job creation programme: 2Jiajiri, in partnership with Matuga Constituency NG-CDF.
The nine-month course, offered by Rashmmy Beauty College and Tiwi Vocational Training Center, focused on beauty and therapy. The graduates received Grade III certification along with valuable financial literacy lessons.
To give them a head start, 20 top-performing trainees were gifted full toolkits to help them launch their own beauty businesses. This will enable them to earn an income and possibly create jobs for others.
The graduation event was held at Matuga Technical and Vocational College. KCB Foundation’s Head of Programmes, Bernard Barasa, said the goal is to empower young people across communities.
Speaking during the graduation ceremony at the Matuga Technical and Vocational College,
KCB Foundation Head of Programmes Bernard Barasa noted that “At KCB Foundation, we are
committed to creating opportunities for Kenyan youth across our communities. By partnering
with constituencies, we ensure that these opportunities are equitably distributed, kicking off a
transformative journey towards self-reliance and economic prosperity.
Matuga MP Hon. Tandaza Kassim praised the partnership between KCB Foundation and NG-CDF, saying it is a perfect example of how public-private partnerships can bring real change to communities
“We will continue to find opportunities for our youth, as they hold the power to positively
transform our communities and when equipped, they serve as catalysts of growth” he added.
The 2Jiajiri initiative, run by KCB Foundation in partnership with Mastercard Foundation under the Young Africa Works (YAW) program, offers youth a path to employment or self-employment.
Each course includes three months of classroom training and three months of hands-on attachment. Those who choose to start businesses get help from KCB Foundation, including business coaching, starter kits, and capital.
Since it started in 2016, the 2Jiajiri program has trained over 35,000 youth, helped start more than 6,500 businesses, and supported young entrepreneurs with over Ksh 267 million in loans. More than 2,200 youth have received startup toolkits, and over 150,000 jobs have been created through the program.
This graduation is just one of many milestones in the push for Eastern and Southern Africa job creation one youth at a time.
