Kajiado: Kajiado County on Friday recorded a high turnout of youth seeking validation for enrolment into the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme. The exercise, conducted across the county, seeks to confirm eligibility of applicants through checks on residency, education level, employment status, gender, and disability status.
According to Kenya News Agency, Kajiado County Supervisor at the State Department for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Development, Jack Udhiwa, said the turnout signaled strong interest in the programme among the youth. 'We are experiencing proper representation from all wards in the county. Despite minor delays this morning due to network challenges, the process has since stabilized,' said Udhiwa.
Applicants are required to present their national identity cards and complete the Entrepreneurial Aptitude Test (EAT), which is accessed by dialing NYOTA to shortcode 40270. Felix Moona, an applicant from Matapato South Ward, said the programme would give young entrepreneurs the support they need to grow their businesses. 'The turnout shows the need for opportunities that help the youth secure sustainable income,' said Moona, who urged officials to speed up the EAT prompts to allow timely completion.
Another applicant, Mercy Moinkett from Dalalekutuk Ward, said the process offered a pathway to realising her goal of establishing a cosmetics business. 'This exercise is a step closer to fulfilling my dream of running a profitable business,' she said.
The NYOTA programme is a five-year government initiative funded by the World Bank to empower vulnerable youth through employment opportunities, access to capital, and financial literacy. Under the business support component, 100,000 youth countrywide and 1,750 in Kajiado County will receive entrepreneurial training, mentorship, and start-up grants worth Sh50,000 to launch or expand their enterprises.
The validation exercise is being carried out countrywide in line with a whole of government approach that brings on board Principal Secretaries, elected leaders, National Government Administration Officers, and NYOTA implementation teams. According to government guidelines, shortlisted youth who will successfully undergo validation will proceed to the next phase, which includes business skills training before issuance of the grants.