The rate of youth unemployment in Kenya has, for years, been on the rise following the huge number of youths graduating from various colleges and universities as compared to the few job opportunities available.
According to the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE), unemployment in Kenya is at 12.7 percent, with youth of ages between 15 – 34 years old, who form 35 percent of the Kenyan population, have the highest unemployment rate of 67 percent.
This huge youth population has the potential to lift the country out of poverty, but only if high levels of unemployment can be reduced.
As most Kenyan youths are at crossroads, the tourism and events sector, industries, businesses and other related industries such as construction are predicted to create more jobs in the coming years.
The hearts of Tsavo expeditions, tourism and events companies are stepping up to help, and changing lives in the process.
According to Rebecca Mwanyolo well known to many as Becky Mwanyolo, the CEO of the hearts of Tsavo expedition company, to get these jobs, youths need to possess vocational and technical skills of an international standard as well as having the knowledge of intellectual property, business management among other vital life skills and at the moment, these are severely lacking in the local population.
Thankfully, Mwanyolo is working hard to bridge the gap and make sure youths in Taita Taveta County and Kenya at large have the skills to succeed and build a better future.
In her project, started about a year ago, she’s been working to see how she can train more youths to acquire the vital skills that will enable them, apart from getting employable qualities, to be able to create jobs and become employers.
Through delivering work skills sessions to youths, she is giving young people the insight into current opportunities that they need to make informed choices about their futures.
As a CSR activity to the community, Mwanyolo through her company looks for talents and trains them based on what they are capable of doing. Youths especially the form 4 leavers, college students and those from universities are taught skills like business management skills, intellectual property protection skills, marketing skills among others, through which they learn to budget as entrepreneurs.
Through my company, I look for talents and teach youths so that they can understand what they are capable of doing. Youths from colleges, Universities and even those who have completed their fourth form are taught life skills, marketing and business skills and intellectual property knowledge which will enable them know what to do in order to start or operate businesses
said Mwanyolo
She uses social platforms like Facebook page, WhatsApp groups to create awareness about what she does by creating attractive sessions where youths follow and register for training which are free.
The CEO added: “There are no qualifications to join the heart of Tsavo expedition. The Tsavo expedition has different products ranging from business skills training, intellectual property skills, business management, modeling sessions amongst others that youths of all genders including those living with disabilities are free to join and learn.”
So far, a total of 100 youths have undergone a two weeks training on life and business skills and were feted on Saturday in an event that was attended by Taita Taveta County Deputy Governor Christine Kilalo, CECM for youths, gender and culture Shedrack Mtungi among other county officials.
Interestingly and what has been termed as the new dawn for men, majority of the youths awarded under her program are boys totaling to 60 as 40 girls were registered.
According to the CEO, after successfully completing their training, youths are subjected to an audition competition where they are assessed on what they learned. She added that those who perform well will be absorbed into her company as brand ambassadors as she looks for ways to link others into the job market.
Apart from seeking employment, Mwanyolo noted that the youths are capable of employing themselves hence reducing the rate of unemployment in the county.
After training the youths, they will benefit because I’m planning to open a big company that will absorb some of them. Youths with different skills will take up their positions so that we grow ourselves as well as the county. I have a number of projects in my plan. So, I will also be getting out and looking for a market for the products that the youths will be coming up with
she added
Mwanyolo noted that by December 2024, she projects to have about 1 million youths countrywide who have undergone training on various life skills.
Afterwards, she stated that the initiative is going to go even further in training youths on various skills with the training taking as long as three months to enable them get a better understanding of what is needed of them to succeed in life.
Mwanyolo reiterated that: “We look at your vision. What do you want to be in the future? How do you want your life to be? By these, we will understand and plan on how we can train them to be what they want to be. If youths can be coached and supported, they will avoid peer pressure which leads them to drug abuse, early pregnancies as well as reduce the rate of HIV/Aids infections amongst the youths and enable them to venture into different businesses to sustain their lives.”
After the modeling session, Mercy Kavuu emerged the winner in the ladies category and was crowned as Miss Heart of Tsavo Expedition. Collins Mbithi emerged the winner in males category and was crowned Mr. Heart Of Tsavo Expedition.
The winners were given laptops, first runners up received Ksh. 5000 each and second runners up were given Ksh. 3000 each.
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