In a major boost to local youth empowerment and the local economy, more than 350 youths have graduated with various technical and artisan certifications during a colourful ceremony held at the Ndumberi Stadium in Kiambu.
The graduation marked the 5th cohort of the International Youth Fellowship (IYF)- a transformative short-course program run by the Good News Church in strategic partnership with the Kiambu National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF).
Speaking during the event, Kiambu Member of Parliament Machua Waithaka reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to equipping local youths with marketable, hands-on skills designed to help them aggressively tap into public and private job markets.
The legislator noted that his partnership with programs like IYF is intentionally structured to build a self-reliant generation capable of fending for themselves. He urged youths currently idling at home or in shopping centres to take advantage of the free short courses to uplift their lives.
“The skills these youths are receiving are helping them enter the job market and explore various opportunities within the government,” MP Machua stated.
The MP pointed out immediate, lucrative employment avenues within the constituency that are hungry for skilled, certified labour, like the ongoing national government initiative that he noted is currently employing over 500 people daily. Graduates with crafts in plumbing, electrical installation, and masonry are slated for immediate absorption.
He also noted that the Kiambu National Polytechnic (KINAP) major infrastructure extensions and constructions are ongoing at the institution, providing a ready market for manual and technical artisans.
Shifting focus to basic education, the lawmaker declared that for the past two years, day secondary school education in Kiambu Constituency has been made entirely free, heavily buffered by the comprehensive distribution of NG-CDF bursaries.
Warning that his administration will tolerate zero school dropouts, Machua issued a stern directive to local administrators to enforce 100% transition rates.
“I have called on chiefs to ensure that no school-going person is left idling at home for any reason. Parents who will be found withholding their children from attending school will face immediate legal action,” the legislator warned.
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To back this educational drive, the MP highlighted massive infrastructure upgrades across almost all public schools in Kiambu. The physical transformations include the installation of cabro paving blocks, modern secure gates, concrete perimeter walls, and solar floodlighting to guarantee a safe, conducive learning environment.
According to Pastor Godfrey Kariuki, the Director of IYF Kiambu, the fellowship offers intense three-month technical courses conducted over weekends (Saturdays and Sundays). However, what truly separates IYF from standard vocational centres is its foundational emphasis on “Mindset Education.”
In IYF, we have this program of mindset education. Nowadays, our youth face so many challenges, and the only thing that can help them navigate life is a strong mind connected to spiritual values,” Pastor Kariuki explained. He noted that the initiative was originally birthed by the global founder of the Good News Mission to rescue young people drowning in drug addiction by building their inner resilience.
Through the support of the Kiambu lawmaker, the IYF training centre has been operating right within the local CDF Towers, making it highly accessible to the community.
To keep the program accessible to low-income families, IYF charges no tuition fees. According to Ruth Nyambura, an IYF teacher and catering instructor from the Riabia area, entry requirements are fully inclusive.
“We don’t look at certificates. Whether a student finished Form Four, dropped out in Class Eight, or never had the chance to study at all—if they are healthy and willing to learn, we take them,” Nyambura said.
She detailed that the program offers over 17 distinct courses, including: Technical Crafts: Plumbing, electrical installation, welding, electronics, Creative & Tech: Video editing, AI, modelling, fashion design, dancing, Hospitality & Services: Catering, hairdressing, beauty, theology, Global Languages: Chinese, Korean, German.
While the courses are free, students only cover a small, one-off commitment for their own tools and ceremonies: a registration fee of KSh 500, a practical exam fee of KSh 400 (for courses like catering), and KSh 1,000 for the graduation gown. Crucially, the practical examinations are certified under the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA), giving graduates recognised credentials to secure formal employment.
The impact of the program was visible on the faces of the graduates, many of whom expressed renewed hope after years of financial frustration.
Constance Malemba Catering & Hospitality “I learned to bake and cook different foods. Because classes are on weekends, you can work during the week to make a living. I feel completely ready to work as a chef or waitress.”
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Daniel Kinyanjui Kamau Video Editing (2025) & Plumbing (2026) “I joined IYF last year for video editing. This year, I came back for plumbing because I want to double my skills and tap into the massive housing constructions happening around Kiambu.”
Loise Wanjiru Video Editing “There is a huge demand out there for people to edit music and movies. I encourage other youths to come out, get these skills, and earn an honest living.”
With hundreds of newly certified technicians exiting Ndumberi Stadium with NITA certificates in hand, Kiambu’s strategy of fusing constituency funding with faith-based vocational training offers a scalable blueprint for tackling Kenya’s pressing youth unemployment crisis.
By Felix Njenga
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