An NGO has set up an empowerment centre in Mathioya, geared towards impacting entrepreneurial skills to the youth that would enable them to face the future with courage.
The 360 Climate Institutes located in Gikoe village that opened six months ago, has enrolled 216 youths, who attend lessons in two shifts under the patronage of 14 tutors.
The institute is initiated by professionals from the village led by lawyer Hannah Muriithi on the need for bringing back to the community through molding the youth opened with 34 youth, and the number has continued increasing.
The courses taught include environment and climate change, ICT, online writing, Plumbing, fashion and design, graphic design, photography, music among others. They are also undertaking the much sought after plumbing courses and solar installation.
The courses are provided free of charge as the parents enroll their youth at Sh1,000 for registration and acquisition of student identity cards. Catherine Njeri, a youth, said the facility has been of much help in the village as tens are back in school acquiring courses they have been yawning for.
Njeri said he has been at home for two years after she completed her secondary education but could not afford to proceed with her dream in education. “The opening of the facility has been a game charger for the youth in the locality,” said Njeri, a fashion and design student.
Students’ leader Wilson Maina pursuing electrical installation says exposing the youth to the outer world is an inspiration.
Maina says those in the electrical and solar installation classes have their fortunes changed as they are contracted by the firms to assist in electrical connections in various parts in Murang’a.
” Plumbing and electrical courses are in demand owing to many of the development programmes invested in the villages,” said Maina, who is the institute’s student leader.
Head of the programmes at the institute Mr Daniel Irungu Thiong’o said the board of the institution learned of the myriad challenges affecting the youth in the villages, before initiating the programmes.
Irungu said they have engaged youth in the technical courses, and also played the parental role in guiding and counseling. “The youth must be salvaged from plunging into the illicit brews and drugs and substance, being involved in the conflict in the community circles,” said Irungu.
Irungu discloses that another 170 students are in the waiting list to enroll and benefit from the short courses offered.
Paul Macharia, a board member at the institute, said the idea to establish the facility followed talks with Mt Kenya Central ACK Bishop Timothy Gichere on the need for the professionals to support the locals with fruit tree seedlings as part of addressing commercial and climate change needs.
” We trained the church leaders before the aspect sprung up and initiated training of the technical courses,” said Macharia.Macharia’s family, he said, was forced to convert a bungalow he constructed four years ago to classrooms.
“Am involved in propagating fruit seeds that brought me close to the youth who got interested in climate change learning,” said Macharia.
