Youths yet to fully claim potential in digital opportunities

Youths in the country are yet to fully exploit opportunities in the digital economy, even as the Government moved to roll out countrywide internet connectivity, Information, Communication, and Digital Economy Principal Secretary Stephen Isaboke has said.

Isaboke said young people who are key to the transformation of the huge potential in the digital world are yet to fully involve themselves in maximising available opportunities in the digital economic space to resolve the unemployment challenge.

"Government, through the Digital Superhighway initiative that is overseeing connectivity in remote parts of the country, has opened up opportunities for young Kenyans, but they need to come out and claim the numerous opportunities that are available in the digital economy," Isaboke said.

The PS said the National Government was almost reaching its goal of establishing 25,000 innovation hubs across the country as part of the economic transformation agenda aimed at tapping into the digital space.

PS Isaboke noted that the Government push was to have at least every Constituency to have a digital hub for youths to venture into opportunities to their own self-employment.

In its drive, the Government is partnering with Huawei-Kenya through the Computers for Schools initiative to enrich young Kenyans with digital skills through training that can equip them with the necessary capacity to absorb available digital opportunities.

"Through access to digital literacy programs, affordable internet, and innovation hubs, Kenyan youths are finding opportunities in freelancing, e-commerce, app development, and online content creation while many are working remotely for international clients through various digital platforms," the PS said.

He was speaking at his village's home school, Kabeo Primary, in Kisii County, where Huawei, through it's Big Truck Initiative, successfully trained 120 young people from the community on digital literacy skills.

Digital Big Truck is a mobile tuition container which is equipped with power, computers and internet connectivity, and it's used as a mobile tuition room.

The container has 120 computers, which learners use to learn skills with the help of tech-savvy instructors.

In the Big Truck Initiative, the company moves into remote areas across the country where young people are enrolled to undertake month-long digital skills training.

Huawei-Kenya Country Director Adam Glen, who accompanied the PS, noted that there are numerous talents among Kenyan youths, and the only challenge was to enlighten them on how best they can earn from their numerous talents.

"There are lots of talents in villages. We encourage young people to come out and learn digital skills that can enable them to earn from the digital economy," Glen said.

As an intervention, the Government has pledged to increase internet reach in all Constituencies.