Small scale traders in the manufacturing sector in Isiolo town who had no place to operate from got a major boost following the opening of a constituency industrial centre.
The centre, built under the government’s economic stimulus programme and whose construction started in 2008, had been vandalised but was recently renovated by the Micro and Small Enterprise Authority.
The first phase of the project that entailed putting up a block where state-of-the-art machines will be stored has already been completed with construction of shades where young entrepreneurs will work from underway.
Industrial and manufacturing officers have already been deployed to the centre in Burat Ward to assist the youth increase their productivity for improved livelihoods.
Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA) Chief Executive Officer Henry Rithaa asked young people in the jua kali sector, farming and agribusiness to form groups based on their areas of specialisation in order to benefit from the facility whose equipping he announced will start once the shades are completed.
“We have already bought the machines that the youths will be using and they should organise themselves in groups while we wait for their shades to be completed,” said Mr Rithaa.
Speaking when he accompanied Trade Chief Administrative Secretary Lawrence Karanja to open the centre, Mr Rithaa said the youth must demonstrate high levels of discipline while working at the facility and further warned the groups against having members who are not business minded.
Mr Karanja said the project will rid the youth of the challenges they were encountering for lack of operating space and help them increase their productivity in line with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big Four agenda.
He announced that the government will also, through MSEA, fund the youth groups to start income generating ventures and appealed to them to enrol for technical courses at local institutes to acquire the requisite skills.
“Lack of training and starting capital is the main challenge but once you enrol for courses at local technical institutes, we will fund you to start your enterprises,” the CAS told the youth at the centre.
The groups have been advised to present proposals for funding at MSEA’s regional office in Isiolo town for consideration.
The region’s MSEA boss Ahmed Abass said his office will offer requisite advice to the youth and assist them in preparing proposals for the funding.
CAS Karanja reiterated the government's commitment towards supporting the youth to acquire technical skills by paying Sh35,000 for those joining institutes of science and technology and Sh15,000 for those joining vocational centres.
Mr Abdi Hassan hailed the government for the project and asked that ongoing works be expedited so that the facility is fully operational.
“I am appealing to concerned organs to ensure the shades are completed soonest possible so that we start benefiting,” said Mr Hassan from Safi Estate in Burat Ward.
