NYOTA Project kicks off with youth training in Western Kenya

The rollout of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Project has begun with the first entrepreneurship training sessions in Western Kenya.

The programme, backed by the World Bank, will run for five years and is expected to transform the lives of more than 800,000 young people.

The initial trainings opened on Monday in Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma, and Busia counties. Participants will undergo a week of business classes before moving into two months of mentorship to prepare them for managing enterprises.

Speaking to the press on Monday in Nairobi, Cabinet Secretary for MSMEs Development, Dr Wycliffe Oparanya, said the initiative will create opportunities for youth who are often excluded from the job market.

“We are focusing on young people who often miss out on opportunities because of limited education and lack of access to resources. NYOTA is about giving them a fair chance,” he said.

The project is designed to generate 110,000 entrepreneurs, certify 20,000 artisans through the Recognition of Prior Learning programme, and link 90,000 youth to jobs. A further 600,000 will be trained on savings and government procurement opportunities.

According to Dr Oparanya, each ward in the country will benefit, with 70 young people per ward set to receive start-up capital of Sh50,000 to grow their businesses.

“This project is about laying strong foundations for young people to earn, save and build enterprises that will sustain them for years to come,” he added.

Training in the remaining clusters across the country will roll out in the coming weeks, with capital disbursement following completion of classroom sessions.

President William Ruto is expected to preside over the official launch in the Western region when the first batch of beneficiaries receive their funds.