Mabati Rolling Mills has launched the Chandaria Youth Empowerment Program (CYEP). The CYEP is an intervention geared towards providing sustainable alternative and innovative strategies to facilitate youth engagement in ICT and Entrepreneurship.
The program is set to equip youth with the necessary skills and knowledge for job creation. This includes skills in ICT for the purposes of doing business and livelihood sustenance.
In partnership with the State Department of Youth Affairs under the Ministry of ICT, Innovation, and Youth Affairs, the program seeks to accomplish youth economic empowerment. Further, the program seeks to directly impact over 1 million youth in Kenya by 2030 and is in line with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of decent work and economic growth.
The CYEP comprises of two main programs: Training and Mentorship opportunities for local start-ups. The first training took place at MRM Athi River in November 2018 and since its inception, the program has successfully trained 1,400 youth in four counties, namely Meru, Machakos, Nairobi, and Kwale.
In an effort to reach more youth, the program will now offer virtual learning. The program will collaborate with the State Department of Youth Affairs under the Ministry of ICT, Innovation, and Youth Affairs through their Empowerment Centers located across the country to offer the program.
Manish Mehra, CEO MRM, had this to say, “At a time when the country has hit a record high with the annual inflation rate accelerating to 7.1% in May, unemployment remains a key issue and concern in our country, leaving the youth of this generation adversely affected and in a complete state of desolation. As a key stakeholder in the industry, we have taken up this initiative and created a means to which we believe will be beneficial and empowering for our future generation, making them self- employable. Education is one of our key focus areas in corporate social investment and this initiative in partnership with the Ministry could not have come at a better time.”
He added that, “We would like to encourage the youth from all walks of lives to enroll in the program and equip themselves with the necessary skills and knowledge for job creation and to improve their livelihoods. This initiative seeks to build Public and Private partnerships with relevant institutions, corporations, and organizations. The program is founded on the key pillars of economic empowerment, driven by relevant skills development, strong business innovation, and entrepreneurial skills that will enable the youth to realize their full potential.’’
Further, the program will also set up base at MRM’s Service Centers located across the country. This will offer various youth across the country, access to the program. By upgrading, the program to virtual and its mobility, more youth will have access to ICT and
Entrepreneurship skills. This in turn will help secure a better future for themselves and their families.