Busia: Busia County has launched an ambitious digital skills programme aimed at transforming youth and marginalized community members into digital entrepreneurs and positioning the county as a regional digital hub.
According to Kenya News Agency, the programme, dubbed Inclusive Digital Futures (IDF), is a United Kingdom-funded Government Digital Access project (UKDAP) being implemented in partnership with the British High Commission, the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, and the Busia County Government.
Under the initiative, 1,200 Community Digital Champions (CDCs) have been onboarded and will undergo intensive training with the goal of creating at least 900 digital businesses. The project is being implemented by the African Centre for Women, Information Communications Technology (ACWICT), working with a local partner, Akukuranut Development Trust (ADT).
The selected CDCs are drawn from 4,000 Busia residents who completed basic digital literacy training between June 2024 and early 2025 under the Strengthening Digital Communities (SDC) Project implemented by Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet), ensuring that beneficiaries already have foundational digital skills. Participants will first be trained in Artificial Intelligence (AI) before advancing to self-paced, AI-powered intermediate training in four specialised tracks, supported by the Otermans Institute (OI) UK, through Otermans Institute AI (OIAI).
From these tracks, the trainees will define digital jobs and business ideas through which they can earn sustainable incomes. The four training tracks include the Creative Economy, Gig Economy, Digital Agriculture, and Information Technology (IT) Technician Skills.
Speaking during the launch, Busia Governor Dr. Paul Otuoma emphasized that digital skills are a critical pathway to employment and wealth creation. He urged young people to move beyond using digital platforms purely for social interaction and instead tap into the vast economic opportunities available online. Dr. Otuoma assured the county government’s full support in positioning Busia as a digital hub.
The Country Lead and Advisor for the UK Government Digital Access Program in Kenya, Charles Wesonga Juma, encouraged Busia residents to take full advantage of the project to transform their lives. He emphasized that the programme is guided by affirmative action, with a significant focus on persons with disabilities, women, and youth, while also covering other underserved groups.
Juma noted that the UK Digital Access Program has been operational in Kenya since 2019, but participation from Western Kenya has traditionally been low when initiatives are rolled out at the national level. The programme’s county-level implementation provides residents with a direct opportunity to benefit.
ACWICT Executive Director Constantine Obuya stated that the IDF project aims to empower rural communities with practical digital skills that translate directly into entrepreneurship and economic growth. The programme focuses on mentorship and continuous support to ensure the creation of at least 900 viable digital businesses across the four training areas. It envisions increased household incomes and the emergence of sustainable digital enterprises within rural economies by the end of the project.
