KISII, Kenya Oct 9 – After six months of hands-on training at technical institutes and vocational training centers, 82 young graduates in Kisii—sponsored by Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB)—are now on the path to self-employment and financial independence.
The graduates pursued various courses, including plumbing, hairdressing, catering, and electrical engineering. Each participant was not only equipped with practical skills but also provided with essential start-up toolkits to launch their own businesses.
Speaking during the award ceremony, one of the graduates, now a plumber, expressed his gratitude to the bank for the opportunity, saying it had transformed his life.
“I am very happy to be part of the Jiajiri programme. After secondary school, I couldn’t continue with my education because my parents, who come from a humble background, are still supporting my younger siblings. Completing this course is a dream come true,” he said.
Verah Kwamboka, another beneficiary, said receiving professional hairdressing tools had given her a head start in launching her own salon business.
I studied hairdressing at Keroka Technical Institute. KCB has been very supportive—they paid for everything, including exam fees—and today they’ve given me tools to start my business,” she said.
KCB Kisii Branch Manager James Maganda confirmed that the bank had sponsored 100 students in the program, out of whom 82 completed the training and graduated from various centers.
Each graduate received tools worth KSh 70,000.
Our goal is to empower young people in the informal sector so they can, in turn, empower others in their communities,” said Maganda.
Further revealed that 1,000 more youth are currently undergoing training and will soon graduate and receive toolkits to help them start businesses.
The Jiajiri programme, a flagship youth empowerment initiative by KCB Foundation, continues to support thousands of unemployed youth across Kenya by providing vocational skills and startup resources to foster entrepreneurship and reduce youth unemployment.
