By Murugi Ndwiga
At least 1,400 young people from Embu County are set to benefit from the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) project, a new five-year government initiative aimed at empowering youth and improving their livelihoods through entrepreneurship, training, and financial support.
Speaking during the official launch of the program at the Embu Talent Academy, Principal Secretary for TVETs, Esther Muoria, said the NYOTA project seeks to address youth unemployment, enhance income generation, and promote a culture of saving among young Kenyans.
“Our young people need to be equipped with knowledge and resources such as funds to ensure they can depend on themselves, thereby eliminating the spirit of idleness in the country,” Muoria said.
She emphasized that the government will offer training to beneficiaries to ensure proper use of the funds provided, thereby improving employment outcomes and increasing youth incomes across the country.
Muoria noted that despite overwhelming national interest, there was a low completion rate in the first phase of enrollment.
“Out of the 1.4 million applicants, only 1.1 million completed their applications. It is important for the youth to complete the process to fully benefit from the opportunities available,” she added.
According to Muoria, the program will also cater to 10,000 hard-to-serve youth through partnerships with social enterprises, ensuring that even the most vulnerable young people are included.
Echoing her remarks, Embu County Deputy Governor Kinyua Mugo urged local youth to take advantage of the opportunity and register for the NYOTA Project.
“As the Embu County Government, we will work closely with the National Government to ensure the NYOTA Project succeeds. I encourage all youth in Embu to enroll and benefit. Registration can even be done using basic mobile phones, it doesn’t have to be a smartphone,” Mugo said.
He added that selected youths will undergo training in socio-emotional and business development skills, as well as receive mentorship to help them utilize the funds effectively.
“Training will ensure the youth use the funds wisely and sustainably, setting them up for long-term success,” he said.
Also present was Runyenjes MP Eric Muchangi Karemba, who commended the initiative, noting that at least 420 youth from his constituency will directly benefit from the program.
“Many young people in Embu are skilled but lack employment opportunities or business capital. The NYOTA Project is timely and will change lives by equipping them with business skills and funding,” Karemba said.
The NYOTA Project targets youth aged 18 to 29 years, and up to 35 years for persons with disabilities. It focuses on Form Four leavers, unemployed, underemployed, and low-income youth across all 47 counties, including refugees in Garissa and Turkana.
The project is a collaboration between the Government of Kenya, the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports, the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA), the Micro and Small Enterprise Authority (MSEA), the National Employment Authority, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, and the World Bank.
Youth have been urged to apply for the NYOTA Project between October 6th and 12th, when the application window will officially close.
The programme was rolled out in all 47 counties led by Principal Secretaries to ensure the people benefit from the bottom up economic pyramid