Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

Janet Achieng Juma, a mother of two, wasn’t lucky to join college after her secondary education. Her mother couldn’t afford college fees.

Consequently, she was introduced to the hustling environment at the tender age of 16.

All through, she has been willing to go back to school, but her meagre salary as a casual worker did not allow her.

However, something unusual has happened this year and her life is about to change. She was among those selected from Mukuru Kayaba by the Kenya Wine Agencies Limited (KWAL) to join its vocational training programme, called Inua (uplift), targeting the youth.

She was among 43 beneficiaries selected from Mukuru Promotion Centre, a charitable trust that enables young people acquire a skill,  from which they would be able to provide for themselves and their families. 

She was undertaking a catering course, which put her within the target group for Inua programme.  She has been at the centre since January 2019 and is set to complete the course in December.

Alcohol awareness

Inua is KWAL’s latest social impact initiative seeking to support the hospitality sector through skills training.

The organisation has also collaborated with other partners to boost initiatives already being undertaken in the society to positively impact the youth.

Janet graduated recently after completing a course in Hospitality, Food and Beverage Service techniques courtesy of KWAL and Kenya Utalii College (KUC), where training was free.

Besides undergoing training within the KUC curriculum that combined theoretical and practical skills training, the trainees also undertook an alcohol awareness module, through which they gained knowledge on its misuse, abuse and responsible drinking.

“Because of the training, I am able to mix cocktails, serve and present drinks and food professionally. I am sure with such skills I will be able to secure employment,” says Janet.

For KWAL, the initiation of this first phase of the programme is based on the saying: charity begins at home. It is based within the neighbouring community, Mukuru informal settlement at Nairobi Industrial Area. 

“This initiative comes in the wake of the global and regional concerns that youth, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to be vulnerable to illegal activities and risky behaviour. 

“Inua is aimed at enhancing their personal growth, career progression, and uplift their family livelihoods,” said KWAL Managing Director Lina Githuka.

KWAL intends to scale up the programme, following the successful implementation with the first class— with success being the completion of programme and graduation by all trainees.  

They are still working on number of students for their next phase as it depends on the partners they work with. At the moment the Mukuru Centre capacity in their catering course is 43. 

Alumni group

To accompany the effective implementation of the project, plans are underway to create an alumni group that will aid in tracking success stories and best practices from the first set of graduates to ensure sustainability of the initiative.

Githuka said they plan to add another module on entrepreneurship to ensure students have enough skills such that even if one doesn’t secure employment he or she can start a business.

“Whilst the initiative seeks to give back to society within the KWAL value chain, the effects of skills training further impacts in the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

“We are going to work closely with The Pubs and Restaurants Association of Kenya (Perak) for job listing,” adds Githuka. Perak will connect alumni to pubs and restaurants with vacancies. 

During graduation, KWAL awarded the best performed student with a double chips fryer and a commercial potato chopper to kickstart the student’s business and enable them earn an income.