About 5000 youths in Mandera and Wajir Counties today Thursday have benefited from Sh 63 million each in start-up capital under the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme.
President William Ruto and his deputy Kithure Kindiki presided over the disbursement at Mandera and Wajir stadiums respectively marking a major milestone in the government’s push to spur grassroots enterprise development.
The disbursement of KSh 63 million grants to 2,520 young entrepreneurs in the two counties respectively, marks the end of the first phase of NYOTA programme’s Business Start-Up Capital national roll-out.
Each beneficiary will receive Sh 25,000 in the first phase, with Sh 22,000 deposited directly into their Pochi la Biashara mobile money accounts and Sh3,000 channelled to a Haba na Haba savings account managed by the National Social Security Fund (NSSF).
In the second phase, recipients will get an additional Sh25,000, bringing the total investment per entrepreneur to Sh50,000.
The Mandera and Wajir disbursements mark the conclusion of Phase One of the NYOTA Business Start-Up Capital component.
Similar events have previously been held in Kakamega, Eldoret, Nakuru, Nyeri, Machakos, Meru, Malindi, Mombasa and Garissa.
Nationally, more than 120,000 young entrepreneurs have so far benefited from the programme, receiving a total of Sh5 billion under a joint initiative between the government and the World Bank.
Beyond financial support, beneficiaries have undergone business training and will continue to receive mentorship to enhance sustainability and growth of their enterprises.
The NYOTA programme also includes additional components set for national rollout.
Under the On-the-Job Experience initiative, 90,000 youth will be attached to master craftsmen for six months, earning a monthly stipend of Sh6,000, with the government covering assessment and certification costs.
Another component, Recognition of Prior Learning, targets 20,000 youth who possess skills acquired informally but lack certification, limiting their access to job and business opportunities.
The initiative is part of the government’s bottom-up economic model aimed at promoting inclusive growth and expanding opportunities for young people across the country.
Edited by John Majau
