Murang'a: Stakeholders in the creative sector have urged Kenyan youth to leverage expanding digital opportunities to nurture their talents, create employment, and contribute to economic development. This call was made during a talent showcase event held in Murang'a County, where over 500 young people gathered to exhibit their skills across various creative disciplines including music, dance, poetry, comedy, fashion, fine arts, and even news broadcasting.
According to Kenya News Agency, the vibrant event, filled with entertainment and innovation, demonstrated the potential of talents to transform lives when properly supported through training, exposure, and technology. The event was organized by the Beular Muthoni Foundation, a local organization that seeks to discover and promote youth creativity.
Speaking during the event, the Managing Director of the foundation, Sarafina Muthoni, said their aim is to ensure no talent goes unnoticed. 'We realized that many young people have talent but lack a platform to showcase it, we want to offer that guidance and help their talents grow,' she assured. She further emphasized the need for youth to explore digital platforms, saying technology has opened new doors for global exposure and income generation.
Popular digital content creator Jeff Mwangi, known as 'Mwiko', was among the guests encouraging youth to embrace digital careers. He shared his own testimony of success born purely from talent. 'I am a product of talent. Everything I live on today is because of my creativity,' he stated. 'Young people should use social media to earn a living but not for propaganda or activities that add no value to their lives,' Mwangi said, noting that platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram have become new-age workplaces, offering youth the freedom to turn hobbies into businesses.
The event coordinator Thiongo Mwirigi highlighted that investing in talent is not only beneficial to individuals but also to the wider community. 'Our focus is on local youth. Through talent, employment is created, young people become engaged and crime rates reduce. That is why we created this platform,' he explained. Mwirigi added that as more youth engage in meaningful creative activities, the region would experience improved social stability and economic growth.
'The government has tried to nurture talents but more can be done even as we lobby the private organizations, and communities to support young people through skills training, mentorship, and access to digital tools,' he stressed. Mwirigi noted that the Kenyan youth possess immense creativity and they only need doors opened for them to benefit. 'With the continuous rise of digital content creation and online job markets, talent is no longer just about entertainment it is a viable pathway to financial independence and future prosperity,' he said.