By Kamau Njoroge
Jobless youth across the country have been challenged to take advantage of government-enabled digital economy and talent programmes to exploit their potential to achieve full financial independence.
Youth Affairs and Arts Principal Secretary Ismail Maalim urged unemployed youth to shift their focus from seeking white collar jobs to exploring inborn talents.
Speaking during a talent show organized by Thika West MP Alice Ng’ang’a over the weekend, Maalim noted that talent presents opportunities that youngsters should grab to better their lives.
He pointed out that with the creative economy being one of the key drivers of the digital economy in Kenya, the Kenya Kwanza government had choreographed a plan to nurture and develop talent from the grassroots level in a bid to not only identify but also grow and access commercial platforms for monetary gain.
“The ministry, through the Talanta Hela programme, seeks to monetize talent in sports and the creatives. This is in line with the government Bottom-Up Transformation Agenda (BETA), putting money in the pockets of the youth,” he said.
The PS insisted that talent pays and added that the government is keen on creating an enabling environment through the use of technology to enable the youth secure diversified sources of livelihood.
“In the Kenya Kwanza plan, the government has dedicated a whole chapter to creativity and creative economy,” said Maalim.
He stated that creation of employment for the youngsters is a major policy agenda for the government and highlighted President William Ruto’s commitment to creating awareness, offering key digital economy infrastructure, and enhancing skills, training and mentorship to facilitate the youngsters to have access to dignified work.
On her part, Ng’ang’a vowed to put up a state-of-the-art music recording studio in Thika to enhance talent growth, besides sponsoring further training of the talented to empower them achieve their goals with ease.
“We will allocate funds for the establishment of a recording studio in Thika, which will accommodate those talented to have their composed songs produced at cheaper rates,” said Ng’ang’a.
Kiambu Senator Karungo Thang’wa and EALA MP Maina Karobia, who were present, also called on the youth to make good use of their talents for empowerment.
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