KCB in partnership with the German Development Corporation (GIZ) has today equipped unemployed youths in Embu County with toolkits to enable them to establish business enterprises in the construction sector and increase their competitiveness in the job market.
The bank handed over trade-specific building and construction toolkits the youth who were trained through KCB Foundation’s 2jiajiri programme that focuses on youth skills development and job creation through enterprise development in collaboration with TVETS based in Embu County.
Commenting during the event in Embu County, KCB Director Corporate Banking Esther Waititu said “We are committed to empowering young people to build thriving and sustainable businesses as a growth catalyst in our local communities. We also provide them with capital and toolkits to kickstart their entrepreneurial journey”.
“KCB is all about entrepreneurship, which is why it anchored the 2jiajiri program on agriculture, building and construction, beauty and personal care, automotive engineering, and domestic services. The pillars are in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 17, which calls for partnerships for ideal development initiatives. KCB, therefore, looks for strategic partners to make the mandate a reality”, added Esther.
Embu County Governor Her Excellency Hon. Cecily Mbarire said “We are glad that the KCB Foundation has supported our youth, and played a part in growing the small businesses in Embu, the land of opportunities. I pledge to partner with you and for this reason, I commit to sponsor an equal number of youth that KCB Foundation will be sponsoring in Embu”.
Through the 2jiajiri programme, the KCB Foundation aims to formalize the informal sector and create jobs by making deliberate social investments directed at solving the youth unemployment and the stagnation of existing small informal businesses.
According to Kenya Private Sector Alliance, at least one million youths enter the job market yearly but they are not been able to get opportunities.
According to the Census data released in 2020 shows that 5,341,182 or 38.9 percent of the 13,777,600 young Kenyans are jobless, further widening the gulf between the rich and the poor.