Invest In The empowerment, Education Of Youth, Jua Kali For Greater Future, - JF C.E.O.
Jungle Foundation (JF) C.E.O. Patrick Wainaina has pointed
out that the economic growth of this country will be fully achieved if only everyone
invested in the empowerment, education and employment of the young people and
the informal sector. He said that our country currently suffered a massive
waste of human capital because of the millions of young people who were not in
any form of production.
“Unemployment in this country is soaring and the economy is
tanking, but if private entrepreneurs and the government pulled together to
give a dose of entrepreneurial flair, young people can forge their futures. By increasing
their economic productivity, improving their livelihoods through sustainable
income generating activities and by providing entrepreneurship development and
capacity building activities to the youth, women and the Jua Kali sector, we
can definitely achieve our Vision 2030 goals within our time limits,” said
Wainaina when he engaged Thika Jua Kali Sector representatives in an economic
empowerment and transforming lives session.
Wainaina advocated for a ‘Buy Kenya Build Kenya’ concept as
a great initiative that would help create jobs for the youth and Kenyans in
general.
“It is meaningless for Kenyans to import some of the basic
items made locally. For instance, why should we buy a wheelbarrow imported from
China from our supermarkets and other outlets will we have better and more
durable ones from our Jua Kali artisans?” he posed.
He said that by purchasing locally made products, we were
transforming someone's life and empower them economically. He said that
locally-made products were affordable, easily available and helped to create
jobs for other people. He added that it was also imperative for our local
manufacturers, especially those in the informal sector to improve quality and
packaging of their products so as to attract local clientele.
He said that one of the Pillars of The Jungle Foundation aimed
to socially and economically empower the people in market oriented technical,
entrepreneurial and managerial skills, confidence building and empowering
skills necessary to improve their access to productive resources and
sustainable earning potential. He said that they systematically targeted to
link and integrate these people with other complementary interventions such as access
to markets, appropriate technology, micro-finance, entrepreneurship development
and follow up technical assistance and advisory services.
Wainaina noted that one of the biggest challenges that Kenya
was facing was to institutionalise youth engagement and build the capacities of
its young generation in order to sustain their effective participation in their
country's future. Hence, a holistic approach to empowering them was needed more
than ever before.
He pointed out that JF had adopted a comprehensive, market
driven, gender responsive and community-based strategy that involved strategic
partnerships with the authorities, local leaders, religious leaders and other relevant
institutions to strengthen their capacity to assist the less fortunate in the
society.
“Many of the young people have no prior work experience or
qualifications but that doesn't negate their huge potential. It is about
opening their eyes to the vast range of opportunities and helping them make
informed decisions as they progress through their innovations and skills gained
in the process. We all know that there are young people achieving incredible
things. Our strategy is designed to bring together everybody so as to challenge
and change negative perceptions about local entrepreneurship,” he said.
He added that by empowering the youth and the informal
sector, the country would increase their economic productivity, improve their
livelihoods and increase their capacity to survive the vagaries and effects of
drug abuse and prostitution.
Earlier in the day, JF facilitated in an
inter-denominational prayers at Kiganjo. This came after a surge in the cases
of domestic violence, drug & substance abuse and insecurity being reported
in the area.
This has been done prior to a 3-days prayer crusade at
Corner 1 in Kiganjo.
“We met several spiritual counselors, Family therapy
specialist who will be involved in the programme. The outcome was awesome and
we met our objective,” said one of the organisers.
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