Iten: When he received the message from the NYOTA government programme asking him to turn up at Iten sportsground Friday for the verification exercise, David Kipkurui, a youth from Keiyo North in Elgeyo Marakwet county was elated. He had been waiting for the message since he registered online for the National Youths Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme and therefore was among the first to arrive at the venue ready for verification.
According to Kenya News Agency, Kipkurui, addressing the press at the venue, said he has been running a mobile branding business within Kapchemutwa ward where he prints T-shirts and jerseys for different occasions or according to one's preference. However, despite running the business for eight months now, he has not been able to access tools that would make his work easier and more efficient to the satisfaction of his customers. "I have been using an iron box to press the prints which is not only tiresome and slow but also at times the work does not come out as neat as I would want it to," he said. The youth is therefore anxiously waiting for the funds, saying he wants to buy a pressing machine which will enable him to take more workload and in the process offer employment to other youth.
Evans Kipkemboi, another youth who has started a poultry project, says for now he has indigenous (kienyeji) chicken and has been willing to buy the improved kienyeji chicken to boost his business. "I already have kienyeji chicken and want to buy the improved kienyeji ones that will lay the eggs while the kienyeji hatch them. This way I will increase my chicken and also have chicken for both meat and eggs," he said. Kipkemboi added that the money will also assist him in buying feeds, which he has been struggling to get due to high costs. He says the programme will ensure that the youth, most of whom have been idle due to lack of jobs, have something to do which will keep them away from vices and also help them in contributing towards nation building.
Goretti Chemutai has been having a dream to set up a cosmetic business but coming from a humble family, her dream was almost fading since there was no one to provide her with the capital she needed. She is therefore grateful to the government for the NYOTA programme, saying her dream has been revived and she can't wait to get the money and kick off her business. She believes the programme will be of great benefit for youth like her who never went beyond form four and from humble backgrounds where getting funds for business is quite a challenge.
The Elgeyo Marakwet acting county commissioner, Julius Maiyo, called on all the youth who will get the money to put it into good use by investing in various projects, saying this will have a ripple effect in the economy of the county. "Let us not use the money for other things apart from starting various projects which will spur development in the county and also offer employment not only to ourselves but also to other youth," he said.