7,000 NYS officers sent to rural areas
National Youth Service band leads a procession along Kimathi street as they headed to Dedan Kimathi Stadium in Nyeri during the 52nd Madaraka Day celebrations on June 1, 2015. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI |
What you need to know:
- They will be engaged in improving slums, building water pans and drilling boreholes in arid and semi-arid areas and carry out vector control programmes, among other activities.
- Mr Kenyatta, who flagged off trucks and other equipment for the national empowerment programme at State House, Nairobi, said the NYS personnel will work alongside 70,000 youth in the communities where they will be engaged to improve livelihoods.
- President Kenyatta said the youth empowerment programme piloted in Kibera was a big success. Youth in Kibera have managed to pool over Sh150 million in savings for their future, he added.
President Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday commissioned 7,000 National Youth Servicemen and women who will be engaged in youth empowerment countrywide.
The service men and women will be deployed to all parts of the country to implement different government programmes.
They will be engaged in improving slums, building water pans and drilling boreholes in arid and semi-arid areas and carry out vector control programmes, among other activities.
Mr Kenyatta, who flagged off trucks and other equipment for the national empowerment programme at State House, Nairobi, said the NYS personnel will work alongside 70,000 youth in the communities where they will be engaged to improve livelihoods.
“The 7,000 servicemen and women will be able to mentor 10 more youth, each bringing to 70,000 community beneficiaries in their areas of operation,” said the President.
He told members of Parliament to work with NYS in identifying youth in their constituencies to join the programme.
President Kenyatta said the youth empowerment programme piloted in Kibera was a big success. Youth in Kibera have managed to pool over Sh150 million in savings for their future, he added.
“The programme will also instill a sense of patriotism among the young generation,” he said.
Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru said the 7,000 youth are the first batch trained under the re-branded National Youth Service. The programme was in line with the government policy to promote youth enterprise.
Present at the event were Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, retired President Mwai Kibaki, Deputy President William Ruto among others.
