Over 10,000 youth in Makueni county are set to benefit from the Grow with Google program that seeks to train job seekers, women and Small Medium Businesses (SMBs) on how to set up and grow businesses online.
Speaking during an event held on Friday 23rd August, hosting policy makers, community leaders and training partners from Makueni county, Mr. Charles Murito, Google Country Director stated that Google aims to build capacity for the young people to leverage their diverse skill sets to venture into entrepreneurship beside increasing their employ-ability rates.
“Through engaging at a community level, Google hopes to equip businesses and individuals with skills that will allow them to take advantage of the opportunities that the internet presents.
These grass root engagements will allow us to train job seekers and businesses where they are located and adapt our content to the needs of communities, supporting local growth activities and ensuring the impact is felt not just at an individual but at a community level,” said Mr. Murito.
The Grow with Google curriculum is focused on four key areas including job seekers programme at the community level, the SMB Trader programme catering to colleges training in tailoring, hospitality and IT, the Entrepreneurship programme for agri-business entrepreneurs and the Online Safety Programme for parents, guardians and teachers as well as high school students through the Kenya Scouts Association club.
“As a county, we aim to drive economic growth and uplift our youth and we are in full support of the Grow with Google trainings, we encourage the spread of these trainings to other counties in Kenya,” stated H.E. Prof. Kivutha Kibwana, Governor, Makueni County Government.
So far, over 1,362 youth (797 male and 565 female) in Makueni county have been trained under the Grow with Google program. Additionally, the County Government of Makueni is in the process of setting up an innovation and incubation hub to nurture the county’s software development talent.
