The I&M Foundation in partnership with the Moringa School has inked a Sh6.25 million deal to train youths in the informal settlements on software lessons.
The two institutions said that the deal will go towards supporting Moringa School’s Access program which seeks to build a pool of young tech talents between the age of 18 and 35 years, a third being female students. It is aimed at providing youths in the country with an alternative skill which they can use to earn a living in a country where job and employment opportunities are scarce.
According to Snehar Shah, Moringa School’s chief executive officer, the partnership will empower a generation of students who are passionate about technology and create opportunities for growth and development.
“The role of education and skills development in promoting innovation is critical for a digital revolution. However, this remains out of reach for many of the youth living in Kenya due to a lack of opportunities,” said Shah.
He added that the knowledge gained at Moringa will prepare the students to become distinguished mobile and web developers and have a profound impact on economies and societies at large.
Data from the Ministry of Education shows that about 80% of high school graduates in the country do not qualify for university forcing many youths into unemployment.
A recent report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) has also shown that the number of unemployed Kenyans increased by 2.94% from 2.89 million in the third quarter of 2022 to 2.97 million by the end of the 2022. A majority, over half of the unemployed, are youths between the ages of 20 and 29 years.
Mr Sarit Raja Shah, I&M Foundation Trustee and group executive director, I&M Group PLC, said that the programme aims to support job opportunities software development.
“In line with its education and skills development pillar, I&M Foundation sees the opportunity to enhance the education outcomes of underserved youth in Kenya to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education in digital technology,” said Shah.
The selected students will receive training on employable skills as well as join a graduate support team that will actively support the graduates to find employment opportunities. They will also benefit from Moringa School’s other partnership with iTalanta, a Kenyan-based organization that performs Software Development work for European SMEs.
