Committee on Labour calls for enhanced public awareness on Nyota Project to benefit Kenyan Youth

Committee on Labour calls for enhanced public awareness on Nyota Project to benefit Kenyan Youth

𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟏𝟒, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

The National Assembly’s Committee on Labour, chaired by Hon. Muchangi Karemba (Runyenjes), has urged the Ministry of Labour to intensify public sensitization efforts on the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) project. 

The call was made during a retreat between the ministry and the committee, aimed at appraising the committee on the ministry’s initiatives and fostering collaboration for effective service delivery.

Hon. Karemba emphasized the need for greater awareness at the constituency level to ensure the project reaches its intended beneficiaries. 

“People at the constituency level need to understand what NYOTA is and the criteria for selection. The Ministry must put more effort into creating awareness so that the project benefits the right individuals in the community,” he stated.

NYOTA, a government initiative funded by the World Bank, seeks to improve the livelihoods of Kenyan youth through targeted interventions. 

The project’s primary objectives include enhancing youth employability, expanding employment opportunities, and supporting youth savings. 

The project targets 830,000 vulnerable youths aged 18 to 29 across the country, including refugee youths in Garissa and Turkana counties.

During the retreat, Principal Secretary for the State Department of Labour and Skills Development, Shadrack Mwadime, highlighted the ministry’s focus on creating opportunities for Kenyans to work abroad, both in skilled and unskilled labor sectors. 

“We are working on signing more bilateral labor agreements with various countries to expand opportunities for Kenyans abroad. This sector significantly contributes to our economy through foreign income and investments from Kenyans working overseas,” Mwadime told the committee.

The NYOTA program is critical for addressing unemployment among Kenyan youths with education level of Form 4 and below, who lack the capacity to advance their skills. 

However, the ministry has identified funding as a major challenge in the project’s implementation. Mwadime called on the committee to support the allocation of adequate resources in the national budget to ensure the program’s success.