Nairobi: Principal Secretary for Tourism John Olotua has called on youth in Narok to take advantage of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme to grow their businesses. The programme was launched in March this year with an aim of benefiting young people between the ages of 18 and 29 years old, with provisions for persons with disabilities between the ages of 18 and 35 years.
According to Kenya News Agency, Olotua emphasized that the purpose of the meeting was to sensitize the elected leaders and National Government Administrative Officers (NGAO), enabling them to disseminate the information to the grassroots level. He highlighted that over 1.4 million youths across the country have already benefited from the World Bank-backed initiative.
‘President William Ruto thought it wise to reopen the application exercise once again so as to give an opportunity to the youths who had not earlier applied,’ said Olotua. The programme provides grants, with each of the 70 beneficiaries from e
very ward receiving Sh50,000 to expand their businesses. Additionally, the programme aims to instill a culture of saving among the youth.
A key component of NYOTA is training, offering young people without college education the chance to pursue courses of their choice. Olotua noted that taking the programme to every ward ensures that all youths are informed and can benefit, emphasizing that the online application process ensures that the right beneficiaries are reached while covering all wards in the country.
Narok County Deputy Governor Tamalinye Koech urged more youths with a form four education and below to apply for the programme to improve their livelihoods. He expressed gratitude to the Kenya Kwanza administration for initiating numerous programmes that benefit young people, such as building ICT hubs and equipping Youth Empowerment Centers in every constituency.
The event, held at the Narok North Youth Empowerment Hall, was attended by Narok County Commissioner Kipkech Lotiatia, Narok County Secretar
y Mayian Tuya, and several Members of County Assembly (MCAs).