The Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs on Friday launched an AJIRA Digital Club at the Dedan Kimathi University of Technology to reach more youth and expand the footprints of the AJIRA Digital Program across the country.
CAS Ministry of ICT and Youth Affairs, Ms. Maureen Mbaka with Vice-Chancellor, Ndirangu Kioni, Dedan Kimathi University of Technology hold a Signed Memorandum of Association for the Ajira Digital Club Launch . Ajira Digital program continues to be a sustainable socio-economic intervention that aims at empowering over 1 million young Kenyans with the requisite skills to take up digital and digitally-enabled work opportunities both locally and internationally in the bid to position Kenya as a top-rated global hub for digital freelancing and Business Processes Outsourcing. Through the Ajira digital program, the country continues to demystify the myths around online work and embrace it as a source of income and dignified form of employment. This concerted effort by Ajira and its partners has resulted in a significant increase in the number of Kenyans earning from online work opportunities from 1.2million in 2021 and now close to 2Million online workers in 2022, according to a report by Tifa commissioned by the Ajira Digital program.Ajira Digital program is working closely with like-minded partners including the Mastercard Foundation under the Young Africa Works program; which is the program’s principal investment partner. The eMobilis Mobile Technology Institute is charged with the operationalization of Ajira Youth Empowerment Centers, the institutionalization of Ajira Clubs in Universities and TVETs as well as the implementation of training across the country. Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) is the Ajira partner supporting catalyzing digitization for the private sector and e-government to create demand for the digital and digitally-enabled work skills offered by the program. These stakeholders work in close cohesion, to ensure they deliver on their mandates towards realizing the goal of the program and contributing to the country’s digital economy growth.Dedan Kimathi University of Technology Ajira Club which has been reported to have the highest number of online workers in the country is among the 40 Ajira clubs established in various universities and TVETs across the country. The club that will be run by students, will act as additional training, incubation and mentorship forum that helps equip the students to access digital and digitally-enabled job opportunities.Speaking at the launch, Chief Administrative Secretary, Ministry of ICT Innovation and Youths Affairs Ms Maureen Mbaka, said online work is the way to go, and the digital jobs have surpassed the number of digital workers.“As a min,istry we are working hard with our partners to reach out to young Kenyans who are in and out of higher learning institutions. I urge the youths to aggressively grab these online opportunities that Ajira Program is offering to enhance their skillsets and start earning a decent living through digital and digitally-enabled jobs that are readily available.”In 2018, Ajira initiated a partnership with higher learning institutions to enable millions of young people to tap into digital job opportunities. TThe majority of the youths have been trained in article writing, transcription, digital marketing and virtual assistance to transform their livelihoods by working online. CAS, Ms Ombaka lauded the Dedan Kimathi University of Technology for its commendable work.“Today, I am happy to report that this university has been on the forefront in supporting the programme by organizing Ajira trainings. This university has the highest number of online workers among all institutions of higher learning. We have seen several students earn a decent living in this institution.”“This is a true testimony that the Ajira programme is working and as a matter of fact, online work is the way to go. I request you to take time and focus on the digital skills being offered for free by the government through this programme,” she added.Mr Allan Waithira, Rael Mburu and Janet Chepkirui final-year engineering students, said they enrolled in the programme after joining the university in 2018 and have been earning a decent income through online jobs.“We earn and save money so that we can cater for our needs such as paying fees, supporting our families back home and also we are saving for our future. We thank Ajira for equipping us with digital skills because it has enabled us to cater for our education and needs,” they said. Dedan Kimathi Vice-Chancellor Ndirangu Kioni said the programme will enable graduates to secure online jobs and contribute to the country’s economy.“We have put in place systems to ensure that none of our graduates complains that they have not secured a job. Similarly, we want our students to study and earn so that they can cater for their fees and necessities here on campus,” Mr Kioni said.Ajira also partnered with Absa Bank Kenya in 2021 to train young people in digital skills and financial literacy to increase employment and entrepreneurship under the second phase of the program implemented by the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA). The partnership would see Absa link its job training, scholarship and internship initiative, ready to work, with the Ajira Digital site.Applicants would be taken through a certification programme with different modules using computers or mobile phones and issued certificates on completion.The bank is also investing Sh50 million in developing the ReadytoWork App for downloading, which can be accessed on the Ajira portal for convenience. The rollout of Ajira Digital Clubs is intended to take place in every higher-level institution and is intended to reach more youth and expand the footprints of the AJIRA Digital Program across the country.The initiative is part of the national government’s broader strategy to create an environment for work generation and skills development as well as incubate an entrepreneurship culture amongst the youth.The AJIRA Digital Clubs act as formal structures within the various higher-learning institutions and function to onboard new members to the AJIRA Digital ecosystem where citizens get access to work readiness training, mentor,ship and visibility of job opportunities in the gig economy Over 100,000 youth have directly benefited from the training, mentorship and incubation programs offered through the AJIRA Digital platform and can now earn a living through online and gig works on the numerous local and international online work platforms as well as the over 250 e-commerce platforms under the AJIRA Digital network.
