Laikipia: Vocational training institutions have developed innovative methods to equip the youth in Laikipia villages with tertiary skills, targeting those unable to enroll in government institutions due to various challenges. These centers not only offer artisan skills but also integrate indigenous knowledge to preserve the region's cultural heritage.
According to Kenya News Agency, a notable initiative is the Maiyanat Indigenous Youth Life Skills and Cultural Development Centre in Laikipia North Sub-County. This center is a collaboration between Laikipia North Technical and Vocational College and the Indigenous Movement for Peace Advancement and Conflict Transformation (IMPACT), a community-based organization aiming to support vulnerable groups. The center recently celebrated its first cohort of 47 graduates.
Jason Njane, Head of the Institution, emphasized the importance of incorporating indigenous knowledge in the curriculum to ensure its transmission to future generations. He highlighted that local communities possess rich, yet untapped, indigenous knowledge, which has now been documented and included in the training program. This knowledge spans cultural heritage, ancient agricultural practices, and herbal medicine.
Njane explained that the vocational training is market-driven, tailored to meet the demands of local communities. IMPACT official Elizabeth Silakan noted the low number of youths from pastoralist communities transitioning to tertiary institutions and stressed the center's role in bridging this gap by providing opportunities for those without formal education.
The center offers various hands-on skills, such as plumbing, hairdressing, masonry, carpentry, and electrical work, regardless of the youths' educational backgrounds. Thomas Sukurian, a graduate in hairdressing, plans to start a salon business to support his family, exemplifying the center's impact on individual lives. Graduates also receive empowerment tools to help them kickstart their careers.
Parents, including Jane Mungai, have expressed gratitude towards IMPACT for establishing the learning center, which alleviates the financial burden of school fees while equipping youth with life-changing skills. Although vocational colleges were established across the country a decade ago to provide technical skills to the youth, enrollment has been low due to budgetary constraints and remote locations without boarding facilities, leading many to prefer private colleges in urban areas.