First Ladies from the Lake Region Counties of Busia (Judy Ojaamong), Dorothy Nyong’o (Kisumu), Priscila Oparanya (Kakamega) and Rosella Rasanga (Siaya) have vowed to empower the youth.
The women vowed to fully support empowerment of the youths through value addition-based agri-business projects.
They said this is aimed at addressing unemployment occasioned by the negative effects of Covid-19.
The move follows an agreement by Governors Sospeter Ojaamong (Busia), Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o (Kisumu), Cornel Rasanga (Siaya) and Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega) to adopt a joint approach in development of fisheries and agribusiness enterprises targeting jobless Kenyans.
Under the theme #joblesslivesmatter domiciled in the Department of Agriculture in the four Counties, the devolved units aim to directly empower over 2,000 jobless Kenyans in each of the four counties.
Speaking at Kisumu’s Acacia Premier Hotel on Wednesday during a meeting with Jobless Lives Matter Secretariat led by Busia County Director for Fisheries, Timothy Odende and youths’ representatives, the First Ladies led by Mrs Ojaamong promised to own the initiative.
“We want to assure the World Bank and other stakeholders that we are ready for the task of creating a roadmap towards ensuring our youths earn a living and a decent life,” she said.
Mrs Nyong’o said the project being supported by the World Bank will give the four counties an opportunity to create jobs for the unemployed youth.
On her part, Mrs Rasanga reiterated the need to maximise the use of Lake Victoria which she said is a big resource to the region.
Mrs Oparanya said empowerment of the youth will help tame the culture of political class taking advantage of young people for self-interest while at the same time reduce indulgence in criminal activities such as drug abuse and robbery.
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