- Five hundred Kiambu youths have graduated with practical skills under an NGAAF-supported training programme.
- Kiambu Woman Representative Anne Wamuratha has urged the graduates to apply their skills creatively and announced plans to extend similar training opportunities to Kiambu East.
- The graduates were encouraged to pursue formal employment, entrepreneurship or volunteering and were urged not to despise small beginnings.
Five hundred young people in Kiambu have graduated from short professional courses, marking a significant step towards equipping them with practical skills for employment, entrepreneurship and self-reliance.
The graduands, trained in hairdressing and beauty, cosmetology, plumbing and catering, received their certificates at a graduation ceremony supported by the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) under the patronage of Kiambu Woman Representative Anne Wamuratha. Wamuratha challenged the graduates to turn their newly acquired skills into opportunities, urging them to remain determined and persistent as they enter the job market. “It has been a journey that required determination, persistence and perseverance. Through it all, God has been faithful to each one of you,” she said. She added that the transition from the classroom to the marketplace would require the graduates to apply their skills creatively and seize available opportunities. “Today, you step out of the classroom and into the market world. May the skills you have gained open doors, create opportunities and transform your lives,” she said.
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The training was conducted through Premiere Professional Institute, which was commended for preparing the 500 graduates with practical and market-oriented skills. The courses are aimed at addressing the growing need for technical and vocational skills, particularly among young people seeking alternatives to formal employment. The ceremony emphasised that the certificates should not be viewed merely as academic documents but as tools that can be used to create livelihoods and solve problems in communities.
Reverend Captain Elijah Mbuthia, who delivered the sermon, urged the graduates not to underestimate their abilities or be discouraged by humble beginnings. Quoting 1 Timothy 4:14, Mbuthia told the graduands not to neglect their gifts, saying their skills could become a foundation for successful careers and businesses. “You move from the classroom to the marketplace,” he said. “In a class, you are given assignments. In the marketplace, you must find problems and create solutions.” He encouraged the graduates to explore different pathways, including formal employment, entrepreneurship and volunteering, rather than waiting for conventional job opportunities. “Do not despise small beginnings. Start from somewhere,” he said. Mbuthia also cautioned the young people against allowing fear, rejection or negative perceptions to prevent them from using their abilities, adding that every person has a gift that can be developed and used to make a difference in their families and communities.
The graduation ceremony began with prayers and the national anthem before the graduates and invited guests were addressed by religious and political leaders. The programme also recognised the role played by parents, families, teachers, mentors and other supporters in helping the graduates complete their training.
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Wamuratha said the initiative was part of efforts to expand access to practical training and empower residents with skills capable of generating income, and signalled plans to extend similar opportunities to more residents, particularly in Kiambu East. “Kiambu East, watch this space, we are coming,” she said. The graduates were encouraged to use their training to build sustainable livelihoods, create employment for others and contribute to the economic development of their communities.
For the 500 graduates, the ceremony marked more than the end of a training programme. It opened a new chapter in which their ability to turn skills into income and enterprise will determine the next stage of their careers.
By Felix Wanderi
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