About 100 students from Butali Chegulo Ward in Kakamega North Sub County have benefited from a personal sponsorship from area MCA Kevin Mahelo who is serving his second term after being elected through the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Party.
Mr Mahelo has continued to empower young people from his Ward by partnering with Shamberere Technical Training College (STTI) by paying for enrolment fees among other necessities, the move by the MCA has seen over 100 young people secure positions at the institute. The MCA maintained that for a society to grow, young people should get an education hence his targeting needy students from his ward that completed either standard eight or form four to be enrolled at the institute to pursue technical courses. The courses are currently rated as marketable since white colour jobs become fewer every day.
Speaking during the ceremony held at his Ward office, Mr Mahelo expressed his intentions to alleviate illiteracy within his Ward stating that an educated society was an empowered one. “I wish to call upon the youths from Butali Chegulo to take advantage of the government’s policy of affordable TVET education and join Shamberere Technical Training Institute (STTI). This is aimed at producing qualified trainees that will steer the manufacturing sector in Kenya to boost the Big 4 agenda. The college bus will be available to offer free transport to those ready to join on the same day, and remember to carry your academic documents.”
The MCA said he started the sponsorship programme dubbed “Operation Twende TTI” after he realized that many of the young people were staying at home due to the lack of school fees and yet the government had offered to pay for them a total of Ksh.30, 000 out of the total 56,000 of which the parents were at liberty to apply for HELB loans at the technical level.
Speaking after receiving some of the students at the institute, Principal Judith Akaranga assured them that they were in the right place with qualified staff and will greatly benefit from the programmes being offered. The Shamberere Technical Training Institute has kick-started the Job door for the Youth (Joy) project to train youths in Agribusiness while preparing them for the job market through Integrated Agribusiness Hubs.
The project, which is being implemented by Shamberere TTI, is partnering with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Labour Organization (ILO) and Ustadi Foundation. To support the project activities, the institute is establishing an Agribusiness and Technological Centre to ensure sustainability and continuity of joy project activities. The Principal said the institute is committed to forging partnerships in various projects through science, technology, research and innovation with the Joy project being one of them.
Established in 1982 as a rural education programme, Shamberere was elevated into a youth polytechnic in 1995 and later to a trade test centre in 1996. It was then elevated to a Technical Training Institute in 2009 with a current enrolment of 2100 trainees.
Story By Andanje Wakhungu
