- Governor George Natembeya has commissioned and handed over the Mitoto Vocational Training Centre, a facility for visually impaired learners with capacity for more than 100 students
- Vocational training enrolment in Trans Nzoia has doubled from about 2,000 to 4,000 learners after the county raised annual capitation from Sh3,000 to Sh20,000 per learner.
Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has commissioned and handed over the Mitoto Vocational Training Centre for learners with visual impairment to the County Department of Education and Vocational Training.
The facility, established through a partnership involving Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Deutsches Blindenhilfswerk, Ananse and Salus Oculi Kenya, is expected to expand access to vocational training for learners living with visual impairment in Trans Nzoia and the wider region.
The centre comprises two dormitories, five classrooms, a kitchen, dining hall and ablution block, with capacity to accommodate more than 100 boys and girls.
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, Natembeya described the facility as a major milestone in the county’s efforts to promote inclusive education and skills development.
“This facility is one of a kind in this region, and it is going to help empower our students living with these challenges,” Natembeya said.
The governor said the county would explore opportunities to expand the facility, including acquiring additional land to accommodate future development.
He said the centre reflected the county government’s commitment to ensuring disability does not become a barrier to education, skills acquisition and personal development.
“In the coming years, this will be a centre of excellence for learners living with visual impairment, not just for Trans Nzoia, but for the wider region,” he said.
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Partners credited for project
Kiminini Ward MCA Joshua Amwai said the project began after the county acquired land for the facility before development partners joined the initiative.
He said the county initially constructed a perimeter wall but lacked adequate resources to complete the project.
Safaricom Foundation later supported the construction and equipping of three classrooms and an office for Sh5 million.
Other partners included Step 30 International Ministries, which drilled a borehole valued at Sh3 million, while SUPKEM also provided a borehole for the institution.
The Kilimanjaro Foundation, National Fund for the Disabled of Kenya and individual donors contributed equipment, including computers, Orbit Readers and knitting machines valued at Sh1.3 million.
Amwai said the contributions had transformed the facility into a centre of excellence for learners with visual impairment.
Appeal for enrolment
Trans Nzoia County Executive Committee Member for Education and Vocational Training Janerose Mutama commended the development partners, saying their contribution went beyond infrastructure to investing in the potential of learners.
Mitoto Vocational Training Centre Board Chairperson Joyce Nakhanu said the institution had struggled at its previous location before the completion of the new facility.
Nakhanu urged parents and guardians with children living with visual impairment to enrol them at the centre to take advantage of the available training opportunities.
She, however, noted that the institution still required additional staff to operate effectively.
Acting Chief Officer for Education and Vocational Training Dorothy Nyukuri challenged learners to focus on their abilities rather than their limitations.
“Your ability is your strength, your skills are your power, and your determination is the pathway to success,” Nyukuri told the learners.
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TVET enrolment rises
County Director of Vocational Training Eliud Lusweti said vocational training had historically faced inadequate funding but credited the Natembeya administration with increasing annual capitation from Sh3,000 to Sh20,000 per learner.
He said the increased funding had enabled the county’s 32 vocational training centres to operate more effectively.
Lusweti also disclosed that a three-year partnership with development partners from the Netherlands had facilitated the provision of toolkits to vocational training centres, making practical training more effective.
According to Lusweti, enrolment in the county’s vocational training institutions has doubled from about 2,000 to 4,000 learners.
Salus Oculi Kenya Director Tom Ngeno said the organisation had prioritised education and health projects in underserved communities, particularly in rural areas.
Ngeno said the Mitoto project included specialised support for learners with visual impairment, including Braille machines and thermoform equipment.
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He noted that such equipment was expensive but critical in ensuring learners with visual impairment could access education and vocational training on an equal footing.
Ngeno said continued support would be necessary to sustain the centre, while commending the local community for contributing labour and construction materials.
He said the success of the project demonstrated the impact of collaboration between government, development partners and local communities in expanding opportunities for persons with disabilities.
By Godfrey Wamalwa
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