Laikipia county embarks on youth empowerment

The County Government of Laikipia has embarked on a comprehensive youth economic empowerment campaign seeking to train youth groups in financial management and innovation.

The initiative dubbed “Youth Economic Empowerment Program” (YEEP) is meant to encourage youth to be innovators and investors.

Speaking to the press after a day long meeting with over 500 youth drawn from Marmanet and Githiga Wards in Nyahururu Sub County, Laikipia Governor Joshua Irungu said the programes will involve training and educating the youth in the region on the need to rise up and make good use of the available resources in order to become self reliant.

He said this comes after majority of the young people were forced to shun the drinking of illicit and second generation brews.

The Governor noted that many young people are jobless and idle in the local shopping and trading centres, instead of doing something profitable.

He said that the training programe will involve educating the beneficiaries on poultry farming, livestock, crops and on how to add value on the produce.

Irungu said once, achieved, the training will greatly benefit them and help the youth make a living.

The Governor said the future growth of the Kenyan economy will require a well-educated and financially informed population.

Irungu added that the county administration will also set aside a kitty through the Youth Economic Empowerment Program (YEEP) and the House Economic Empowerment Program (HEEP) to support both youth and women groups.