By Joshua Ochieng

It was an ecstatic moment of joy and hope at the heart of Nairobi’s Kayole Matopeni informal settlement as 47 youth who recently completed a 45-day training on Socio-Emotional Skills Training (SEST) were awarded certificates.

The ceremony was attended by officials from the World Bank, National Project Coordination Team (NPCT) from the Second Kenya Informal Settlements Improvement Project, National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA), Nairobi City County, Settlement Executive and Grievance Redress Committees.

The training, which has been ongoing in several other settlements across the country, is being done through a collaboration between KISIP2 and NYOTA.

It marked the beginning of a new chapter for most participants.

The SEST, conducted under Component 2 at KISIP2, is being rolled out across informal settlements in several counties to help young people navigate the everyday social and emotional challenges they face. The programme focused on building confidence, financial discipline, communication skills and resilience among vulnerable youth.

Speaking during the ceremony, Social Development Specialist at the World Bank Ms. Annette Omolo, congratulated the trainees for successfully completing the programme. She encouraged them to put the lessons learned into practice and use the savings they had accumulated during the training to start small businesses and improve their livelihoods.

“You have already taken the first step toward changing your future. Take these lessons seriously and believe in yourselves,” she advised.

The NPCT representative Mr. Thomas Nyamwaro added that the training was meant to create a lasting change beyond the certificates awarded.

“We are hopeful that what you have learned here will positively impact your lives for many years to come,” he said.

In his remarks, the NYOTA representative Darius Olayo, urged the trainees to initiate sustainable ventures from the skills they leant. “I urge you to take this initiative as a stepping stone toward advancing your future endeavors,” he advised.

One of the trainees, Mr. Daniel Ouma, shared an emotional testimony on how the programme had transformed his life. He said the training helped many participants overcome drug abuse, fear, hopelessness and depression brought about by unemployment and difficult living conditions.

“Before this programme, many of us had lost hope. Now we have learned how to save money, manage our emotions and believe that we can build a better future for ourselves ” Daniel emotionally said.

Several graduates said they had already saved enough money to begin small-scale businesses and expressed optimism about becoming financially independent. They also appealed for continued mentorship and support from the trainers as they transition into business and employment opportunities.