Bungoma: A total of 1,096 youths from Bungoma County are set to benefit from the government’s National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme. The programme provides business funding and training opportunities to empower young people across the country.
According to Kenya News Agency, the project, which was rolled out in Bungoma at the Kibabii Vocational Training Centre, also seeks to equip youths with vital business and entrepreneurship skills before disbursing a grant of Sh50,000 to each successful applicant. The funds are aimed at either boosting existing enterprises or supporting new business start-ups.
Speaking during the youth business skills training session, the NYOTA Project Coordinator Patrick Muchungu said that Bungoma County had secured 1,096 slots under the initiative’s first cohort. He stated that the initiative is designed to give the youths an opportunity not only to access capital but also to sharpen their entrepreneurial skills for long-term success.
Muchungu explained that the programme structure ensures that beneficiaries first undergo comprehensive business training before receiving funds. He detailed that after the training, the first batch of Sh25,000 would be deposited into their accounts to either help the beneficiaries start an enterprise or strengthen their business ventures.
The coordinator noted that the project has identified trainers and mentors who have been linked to every beneficiary for purposes of accountability and for technical support to the program. He mentioned that after the initial disbursement, the beneficiaries would undergo a three-day capacity-building training session three months later to evaluate their business progress.
The second phase of training would focus on tackling challenges, reviewing successes, and preparing the ground for the release of the final Sh25,000 tranche. Nationally, at least 50,000 youths were expected to benefit from the business support grant.
Nancy Njeri, a young poultry farmer from Bungoma County, expressed that the support had come at the right time to enable her to expand her agribusiness. ‘I am running a poultry business. With this grant, I will be able to expand operations, increase production, and create more income. I am grateful to the government for prioritizing the youth,’ Njeri said. Other beneficiaries noted that the programme would cushion them from the challenges of unemployment while inspiring them to pursue entrepreneurship as a sustainable source of livelihood.