The government in partnership with Huawei have completed training of 180 youth in Eldama Ravine with technology skills and equipping them devices to enable them improve rural economies.
The tech savvy youth are beneficiaries of a four-week intensive training by Huawei Digi Truck and the Ministry of Information, Communication and Digital economy.
As part of the course, the participants were also paired with business development mentors to help them navigate and take advantage of the online space to market their ideas and source entrepreneurial insights to further their online startups.
Speaking at Kabimoi Vocational Training Centre in Eldama Ravine during the commissioning of the budding techies, Information Communication and Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo noted that this is part of the government`s initiative to accelerate uptake and use of information technology among rural communities for improved incomes.
Kabogo said the initiative which has since reached out to 6,240 youth aims to spur young people into the increasingly competitive space of information Technology which he observed is also a platform that showcases innovation and develops interests and talents.
The CS observed that in order to achieve the intended middle level economy Kenya must take urgent and decisive action to encourage the youth who comprise 70pc of the population to expand deployment of ICT in the quest for sustainable solutions to focal problems.
“ICT drives economic growth. We must redouble our efforts to boost the number of youth in this sphere. By harnessing their skills and smart ideas, we will realize important progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and a more prosperous world,” he noted.
Keithlyn Jerono who intends to use the skills acquired to work with local medical personnel to promote health education and market farm produce in her village commended the initiative saying it has elevated her to global markets.
She discovered that computers are not simply machines, but a gateway to innovation, problem-solving, critical thinking and collaboration.
On his part, Kibet Korir, a graduate in animal health, said the skills he has acquired will help him develop a website to help farmers in the area aware of animal diseases and markets.
ICT Principal Secretary John Tanui pointed out the State`s commitment to partnerships in information Technology with the private sector to scale up digital literacy in Kenya`s rural areas in the effort to bridge the digital divide between urban and rural areas.
Deputy Chief Executive of Huawei Kenya Stephen Zhang said the financial literacy, online safety and business incubation are the cornerstones of the program that has pitched tents in 39 Counties.
Zhang said the Huawei Digi truck, a mobile ICT laboratory equipped with high-spec solar powered computers, will continue moving to remote areas of the country, exciting youth and women into innovation.
