Authorities in the government and the private sector have been urged to create multiple gainful employment opportunities that will attract young people to salvage the country from the effects of brain drain.

Speaking in Mombasa, Equity Group Holdings, Chief Commercial Officer Samuel Makome regretted the reality that over the years, Kenya has continued to suffer from exporting polished talents and brains to work elsewhere at the expense of contributing towards developing their home country because of shrinking opportunities.

“I think we need to give our young people opportunities in nation-building and utilizing the skill sets that they have,” Makome said.

Referring to a raft of examples at Equity Group Holdings, he singled out an ambitious program dubbed When you look at our group, it is a very ambitious programme he said has seen Kenyans living abroad return to work in their home country.

He spoke at a media briefing after addressing 1,300 scholars mainly Form Ones and Twos under the Wings to Fly and Elimu Scholars program from Mombasa, Taita Taveta, Kwale and Kilifi counties who participated in a three-day Scholar’s congress at Shimo la Tewa High School in Mombasa.

Under the annual equity leadership programme,  the chief commercial officer said learners are being nurtured to become role models with purposeful life in society and how they can instil values in their leadership capabilities.

“The category of learners who we are dealing with are people who are significantly disadvantaged. So many of them came from extremely poor homes, it’s their first time leaving their villages and so they require a lot of affirmation, training, development…” he said.