Kericho: Over 1,900 young people in Kericho County have received the first tranche of business grants under the NYOTA programme, aimed at boosting self-employment through youth empowerment initiatives. The grants are part of a steady expansion effort within the county, focusing on providing opportunities for young entrepreneurs following mandatory entrepreneurship training.
According to Kenya News Agency, Senior Enterprise Development Officer Michelle Aburilli disclosed during the National Government Development County Implementation Coordination and Management Committee meeting that the county had initially targeted 2,520 youths across 30 wards. However, only 1,959 met the training criteria necessary to qualify for the grants. The programme has since transitioned to a mentorship phase, providing one-on-one guidance to strengthen the young entrepreneurs’ businesses.
Aburilli reported a 100 percent completion rate for the mentorship exercise, with mentors offering tailored support to each beneficiary. Data from spot checks in 25 wards revealed that 70 percent of grant recipients are first-time entrepreneurs, while 20 percent have less than one year of business experience. The programme focuses on nurturing new enterprises, with only 2 percent of beneficiaries having over three years of business experience.
Gender distribution among beneficiaries shows near parity, with 50.6 percent female and 49.4 percent male participants. Aburilli noted that the initial group underwent a four-day classroom training in entrepreneurship, with a minimum attendance requirement of 75 percent to proceed to the grant phase.
The two-phase disbursement model ensures accountability, disqualifying those who misuse the initial grant from receiving further funding. Most businesses started under the programme are in agriculture, livestock, forestry, and fisheries, accounting for 72 percent, followed by wholesale and retail at 24 percent.
Despite its success, challenges such as the need for stronger market linkages and high business licensing costs remain. Aburilli urged for support from county authorities to address these issues and emphasized the importance of continuous mentorship and regulatory compliance for sustainable business growth.
Kericho County Commissioner Jeremiah Mwai Gicheru commended the NYOTA programme for its impact on youth empowerment, highlighting its role in transforming livelihoods and fostering entrepreneurship at the grassroots level. He urged stakeholders to maintain the programme’s momentum and called for the documentation of success stories to inspire more youths to pursue entrepreneurship.
