DREAMS Construction Skills Training program has graduated the fifth cohort of young women in technical and vocational electrical and plumbing skills, marking 600 beneficiaries. The graduation was held on September 12, 2024.
The 6 months program provided young women from Nairobi and Kiambu Counties aged 18-24 years with hands-on training, equipping them with market skills for the construction industry.
Speaking during the graduation ceremony , Principal Secretary State Department of Social Protections and Senior Citizens Affairs Joseph Motari commended the impact of the USAID Tumikia Mtoto project in supporting job creation especially for women.
““The percentage of women who work in the construction sector as artisans in Kenya stands at a measly 3 percent. The government appreciates programs geared towards the welfare and rights of the child from all social environments as well as establishing mitigation measures to assist children in emerging situations and poverty. Giving skills to these young people is very impressive. The Family Group Foundation and its partners have done a commendable job to uplift these vulnerable children to a place where they can sustain themselves,” he said.
The initiative addresses the vulnerabilities that young women face, including the risk of HIV, gender-based violence, and economic instability with the goal of strengthening the health and human capacity of households to care for and protect orphans and vulnerable children.
“As a Bank, we believe that an investment in women ensures that we close gender equality gaps, avail opportunities for growth and create a conducive environment for women to thrive. With an investment of 90 million through our social investment arm, we are pleased that this shared value initiative has seen over 80 per cent of these young women transition to the job market,” said Family Bank CEO Nancy Njau.
In addition to technical skills, the graduates are accredited to practice by the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) and the National Construction Authority (NCA). An impressive 84 percent of them have already secured jobs or started their own businesses, showing the program’s transformative impact in job creation and economic empowerment for Kenyan youth.
The graduates also received construction starter toolkits and financial training coupled with sexual and reproductive health and soft skills such as confidence building and public speaking to help them navigate the industry.
“Our vision is simple yet profound: to see every child experience life in all its fullness, and for every heart to possess the will to make it so. You will agree with me that this is one of the ways to celebrate this milestone: empowering more youth to access life- saving skills and enabling them to build better lives. I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to our donors, PEPFAR and USAID, for making this transformative program a reality. Through your generous funding and unwavering support, we have equipped these young women with essential skills and empowered them with the resilience and confidence to rise above life’s challenges,” said World Vision Kenya Chair Dr. David Githanga.
The programme is currently training the sixth cohort of 86 young women from Kangemi, Kihara and Njiru.
The DREAMS Construction Skills Training program is funded by the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through USAID’s Tumikia Mtoto project. This transformative initiative is jointly implemented by World Vision Kenya and the Family Group Foundation.
