KCB Foundation has graduated 340 youth from Nandi County through its flagship 2jiajiri program, equipping them with technical skills and startup resources to pursue self-employment and contribute to job creation.
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The graduates, drawn from 10 Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, are the latest beneficiaries of the Foundation’s partnership with Mastercard Foundation under the Young Africa Works (YAW) initiative.
Speaking during the graduation event in Nandi County, KCB Foundation Director Mendi Njonjo emphasized the program’s transformative impact. “Through the 2jiajiri programme, we are making a profound impact in the communities we serve. Today’s event marks another significant step toward tackling youth unemployment,” she said.
The program also offers Business Development Services (BDS), startup toolkits, and access to working capital via KCB Bank. This makes it easier for graduates to start their micro-enterprises. Participants went through a nine-month training cycle. This included six months of classroom instruction and three months of industrial attachment.
During the event, 136 startup toolkits were distributed to selected graduates to help them launch their ventures across trades such as welding, electrical, plumbing, and beauty services.
To date, the 2jiajiri programme has trained over 40,000 youth and contributed to the creation of more than 179,000 jobs nationwide. KCB Foundation also announced that it has disbursed nearly KSh 1.7 billion in startup loans in addition to providing over 2,200 toolkits to support youth-led businesses. This is a commendable amount that goes a long way in supporting the startup ecosystem in Kenya. Kenya is one of the leading startup hubs in Africa together with Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt.
Summary
Programs like 2jiajiri show how targeted skills training and inclusive financing can help drive economic empowerment and long-term impact in our communities.
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