KCB Foundation, in partnership with Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works program, has graduated over 1,800 youth under its 2Jiajiri technical skills and job creation initiative.
The milestone, celebrated at the University of Nairobi square, underscores growing momentum in Kenya’s drive to equip youth with market-relevant vocational skills and foster job creation.
The graduating cohort, drawn from 14 Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) institutions across the country, received training in sectors including agribusiness, automotive engineering, construction, beauty and personal care, and ICT.
The program targets 8,500 youth—70% of them women—and is expected to catalyze the creation of 43,000 jobs nationally.
KCB Bank Kenya Managing Director Annastacia Kimtai reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to addressing youth unemployment through sustainable enterprise development.
“We are deliberate about unlocking youth potential through practical vocational training paired with entrepreneurship development to support the creation of competitive micro-enterprises,” she said.
At the graduation, 738 start-up toolkits were handed to select beneficiaries, providing the resources needed to transition directly into business. This support is part of a broader strategy by KCB to complement training with access to capital and market entry tools.
Youth Affairs Cabinet Secretary Hon. Salim Mvurya and Sports PS Elijah Mwangi were among the dignitaries present at the event.
They praised the initiative’s impact on economic inclusion and skills development for vulnerable youth.
The 2Jiajiri program offers a 9-month learning cycle—six months of classroom instruction followed by a three-month industrial attachment.
Post-training, graduates are either linked to employment or supported in setting up micro-enterprises through KCB’s Business Development Services.
Since its inception, 2Jiajiri has created over 179,000 jobs and disbursed nearly Ksh 1.7 billion in startup loans. Over 2,200 toolkits have been issued to date, empowering graduates to deliver quality services across various trades.
