At least 150 youths from Bomachoge in Kisii County have benefited from digital skilling programme aimed at preparing them for digital employment opportunities.
The project which marked a major milestone in the fight against youth unemployment and digital illiteracy in rural Kenya was spearheaded by Huawei Consultancies.
Nominated Member of Parliament Irene Mayaka on June 28, presided over the graduation of the youths at Mokubo Chief’s Camp.
Ms Mayaka lauded the programme for its transformative impact, as she commended Huawei for its commitment to digital empowerment.
‘Digital education is key to opening up opportunities for our youth in the online workspace. It is not just about employment, it’s also about safety, access, and empowerment. I’m particularly pleased that the training also covers online safety’- irene mayaka
She noted that the company has already reached 36 counties and trained over 9,000 students at no cost to the participants.
“Digital education is key to opening up opportunities for our youth in the online workspace. It is not just about employment, it’s also about safety, access, and empowerment. I’m particularly pleased that the training also covers online safety,” said Mayaka.
She further highlighted the significance of the programme in the Gusii region, an area where 80 per cent of the population relies on agriculture.
“Most of our youth shy away from farming, which is largely carried out by our mothers and older generations. With these digital skills, young people can now engage in digital marketing to link local farm produce with wider markets,” she said.
She added: “Our region grows some of the best vegetables, and this training can help our farmers tap into national and even international demand.”
Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda
Joseph Njau, Secretary for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), representing Education CS Julius Ogamba emphasized the alignment of the programme with the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
“One of the key components of BETA is the Digital Superhighway which seeks to ensure that every Kenyan regardless of their location has access to digital services. That is why we are working with partners like Huawei and Computers for Schools Kenya to bring these services even to the remotest corners of the country,” he said.
Huawei’s Director of Media and Government Relations Samedit Mohammed reiterated the company’s long-term commitment to Kenya’s development.
“At Huawei, we say we are in Kenya for Kenya. Our goal is not just business, we are here to support the government and local communities in developing meaningful digital skills,” he said.
He added: “We’ve been to Turkana, Kakamega, Kwale, and now Bomachoge. And we urge beneficiaries to use the devices they receive for innovation and entrepreneurship. One of our first winners even started a cyber café using the tablet he won.”
9000
Number of youths who have benefitted from the Huawei Digital empowerment program
Yuta Leng, Huawei Kenya’s Director of Public Affairs, noted that the Digital Skills Track Programme was launched in 2019 to bridge the digital divide between urban and rural communities. Since then, over 9,000 students across 36 counties have benefited.
One such beneficiary, Ezekiel Tagiti, shared how the programme transformed his perspective.
“I knew nothing about computers. I thought digital skills were only for tech-savvy people, but now I can navigate the internet, store data, and even work online to earn an income,” he said.
Principal of Kisii National Polytechnic John Akola praised Huawei for complementing government efforts in youth empowerment and skills development.
