Community based training orientation forum

Early this month, STED launched a project that was aimed at promoting marketable skills to provide sustainable employment among the youth from Nairobi's informal settlements of Huruma, Korogocho and Mathare. Today, hardly a month after the launch, youths were sommoned for an introduction to the project.
On 28th June 2011 ECC held an orientation forum for the youth to youth project inside the assembly hall. The project is a partnership between ECC and KCDF. It initiates youth by giving them tangible skills within a short period of time for sustainable employment opportunities within the informal settlements of Nairobi. 

PCEA ECC’s Director, Mr. Daniel Wairagu Addressing the youth during the orientation forum

Those in attendance for the orientation forum included; The Director, Mr. Daniel Wairagu, The Program Officer for Skills Training and Enterprise Development Program (STED), Mr. Phares Nyaga, Project Officer Risper Njoroge, the CLA Members, trainers, and the recruited trainees. The trainees will be engaged in a three months Community Based Training (CBT) on tailoring, baking, hairdressing, beauty therapy, electrical engineering, mechanics etc.

Mrs. Nancy who owns a salon at Kariobangi Market, addressing the youth during the orientation forum.

The beneficiaries of CBT were also invited to share their stories and experiences on what they gained from the skills trainings. 

A youth from Korogocho, an informal settlement in Nairobi, is among the first pioneers who benefited from The Community based Training Project way back in 2009 after the post election skirmishes.

He did his training at a baking factory located at Light industries, Kariobangi South, Nairobi area. Here goes his story.

The arrow is pointing at Geoffrey Kariuki. Youth listening to The Program Officer, Mr. Phares Nyaga during the orientation forum.

Geoffrey Kariuki was born and raised in Korogocho, an informal settlement in Nairobi ranked among the country’s biggest informal settlements. He schooled in Korogocho, this includes both his primary and secondary education.

After completing his high school, Geoffrey did not perform very well to pursue a career at the university, and even if he could have passed, his parent’s financial status could not have supported him to pursue any career at any tertiary institution leaving him with no other option than staying at home. He spent most of his time doing nothing but sitting idly on stones besides the roads with his peers and teasing passers by.

Days, Months and years passed and nothing had taken place in Geoffrey’s life. Life was still the same. His friends opted for other things like crime, drug abuse and theft but Kariuki did not. He was a Christian who strongly believed in the bible’s teachings. He would spend most of his time in church giving talks to the youth and attending masses. Actually, he was a humble, young man who did not take alcohol or any stimulant like the boys at his age.

Geoffrey then heard about the Community Based Trainings offered by Eastleigh Community Centre. He decided to join the organization and enroll for skills training in baking, this time round at a baking factory in Kariobangi Light Industries. He was trained there for three months, two hours per day. He liked the job, and on completion of the training, he was employed by the same company earned between ksh 200-250 per day.

Geoffrey worked there for three months after which he developed another idea to distribute the cakes. This was more like self employment as would buy the cakes and distribute them to his customers all at his costs. He would buy the cakes from the same company in Kariobangi where he trained and worked and transport them to Kangemi by bicycle. Challenges were many, but what kept the spirit burning in Kariuki is that he had hopes that one day he would come out of poverty.

He kept selling the cakes as his customers increased by each day until the bicycle could not carry enough cakes to meet his clients’ demands. This is when he thought of owning a motor cycle which would enable him transport his products on several trips to and from Kangemi much faster than the bicycle. Now, this has doubled his salary as he gets orders from Kenya Soil Research, Nairobi School, Westland, and Kangemi among others.

He bought another motor bike which is doing him very well, he even paid his brothers fee of Kshs 45,000 to join NYS, affords to pay his bills on time, eat well and support his family. Now, he is determined to buy a car so as to meet his customers’ demand who increase daily and increase his sales volume too.

He’s got one word to his fellow youth; ‘Life is what you take it to be, live each day as it comes’

Youth queuing for food after the forum session.

At the end of the forum, they were all treated to a plate of food and some fruits to ease them from the harshness of hunger. They also promised to work hard and stay focus during the trainings and in life for their success.