#Connectedke2017: Rockerfeller Foundation invests USD 1 million into Ajira Digital Programme

This was announced by the Cabinet Secretary Ministry of ICT, Mr. Joe Mucheru during the ongoing Connected Kenya 2017 Sumit, in Diani, Kwale County.

“I am pleased to announce that my ministry in partnership with Rockfeller Foundation and Kenya Private Sector Alliance has commenced a national programme to upscale demand driven training and develop a sustainable model for connecting disadvantaged youth to online work under Phase 1 of the Ajira Digital Programme,” announced Mr. Mucheru.

Ajira Digital programme is a multi-sectoral Government initiative that aims to introduce young people in Kenya to online work and provide the tools, training and mentorship needed for them to earn an income through online work.

The grant extended through the implementing partners, Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), will go toward the training youth and apprentices to help them seek and get online jobs, officials said, adding that close to 10,000 youths have registered on the platform.

Mr. Mucheru said that the ministry’s objective was to directly support 1 million young Kenyans across the country to find and complete work online by end of 2017.

“The pursuit of an empowered, engaged and involved youth population cannot be fulfilled through my Ministry alone; neither can it be delivered by Government action alone. We require all stakeholders to pull resources and capacity together for greater impact and sustainable results”, he said.

Under phase 1 of the Programme, KEPSA will oversee the development of the Ajira Digital training curriculum and assigning of the trained apprentices to identified experienced workers and online freelancers, officials said.

Mr. Mucheru explained that the government had established strong internet infrastructure, which is the most important component in the initiative.

“In this regard, we are currently rolling out the Constituency Innovation Hubs project in partnership with Members of Parliament and the National Government Constituency Development Fund Board to provide free Wi-Fi in four locations in each of the 290 constituencies”, he said.

The ministry, he explained, will seek to expand the project’s reach and create more demand for online work, as well as work with stakeholders to position Kenya as a destination of choice for skilled online workers.

At the same event, Mamadou Biteye, regional representative of the Rockerfeller Foundation said there’s vast potential for Kenyans working online.

He added that Rockerfeller sees the new partnership with the Government through Ajira Digital to be a blueprint for other countries as they target 1 million youths. “The success of Ajira is quite dear to us as it opens a real opportunity for Africans,” he said.

During the same event, the governement in partnership with Kenya Broadcasting Corporarion confirmed that “Studio Mashinani” project was still underway with five studios already having been deployed and content being aired on KBC online channel, Y54 Channel.