Kenya

Projects

Promoting Life Skills and Livelihoods (S4L)

Turkana County, the second-largest county in Kenya boasts of an estimated population of 926,976 with young people below the age of 19 years, accounting for 60% of the population. Classified as the most impoverished county, 79% of its people are living in poverty with illiteracy levels rising to 82%. Despite the high levels of marginalization,...

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Improving skills for young plumbers and electricians through dual apprenticeship training (PropelA)

The PropelA project seeks to introduce a dual apprenticeship model driven by employers for the construction industry in Kenya and beyond, starting with plumbers and electricians.

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News

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20.09.2022

Kenya: vocational teaching at the start

The construction sector is one of Kenya’s most important economic growth sectors. However, Kenyan construction companies have been unable to leverage this potential because there is lack of skilled labour, specifically in the fields of plumbing and electrical trades. One reason is the country’s weak vocational education system whose training offers are disconnected from the industry needs. To address this challenge, Swisscontact has co-developed an employer-led dual apprenticeship programme in collaboration with the Hilti Foundation.

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08.03.2022

It's never too late to reset and restart

It was 38°C and the scorching sun felt more like a punishment than a gift. We were on our way to Kakuma Refugee Camp in Turkana Country to interview Naomi Bindu, a 34-year-old asylum seeker from DR Congo. We arrived at about 2 pm and found Naomi eagerly waiting for us at the front of her shop. With a wide beaming smile across her face, she warmly welcomed us to her premises. Her energy filled the room and we quickly forgot about the unbearable heat that was making us uncomfortable. She told us her story…

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23.11.2021

Kenyan delegation convinced of dual vocational education and training

Over the course of a week, a Kenyan delegation with representatives from leading construction companies in the electrical and sanitary engineering industry, as well as from educational institutions, got to know Switzerland's dual education system and experienced a varied programme. Swisscontact accompanied the visitors, initiated and moderated various technical presentations and workshops. The schedule also included visits to SMEs as well as international companies and various educational institutions where apprentices are trained.

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Director Central, East and Southern Africa

Anirban Bhowmik

Interventions

Swisscontact works in Kenya to reduce unemployment and improve the livelihoods of refugees, smallholders, MSMEs and the youth. Swisscontact strengthens their prospects of gainful employment by facilitating technical skills training, promoting financial literacy, and offering linkages to formal financial institutions.

For over a decade, Swisscontact has played a role in alleviating poverty through implementing interventions that increase access to financial products and services. Through Inclusive Finance Programmes micro-enterprises, subsistence farmers and low-income households have increased their economic activities.

In the Kakuma Refugee Camp Swisscontact supports refugees and the host community to move from humanitarian support to a lasting development pathway. Activities include income-generating capabilities and employability by facilitating technical skills training in addition to literacy, numeracy, financial and life skills, combining theoretical and hands-on techniques.

Inclusive Finance Programme - 14 Years of Financial Services in East Africa

Although the 2018 IMF Financial Access Survey confirms a positive trend in access to financial products and services in Sub-Saharan Africa, many people are still excluded from the formal financial market system. Sub-Saharan Africa comprises 48 countries and 47% of the people live on less than $ 1.9 a day (World Bank 2018). To a considerable extent...

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Skills for Life - project journey

The Promoting Life Skills and Livelihoods project commonly referred to as Skills for Life (S4L) was designed to strengthen the income-generating capabilities of youth (both refugee and from the host community) in Kakuma by enhancing their technical, financial, life and literacy skills to improve their chances of an enriched livelihood.

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Microleasing

Transforming the lives of entrepreneurs and smallholder farmers through innovative financial solutions.

The Journey of Microleasing in Eastern Africa 2006 – 2017.

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Jobs

Motivated and productive employees with initiative constitute the most important success factor in all areas of our work. We count on individuals who are looking to the future, impact- and team-oriented, and want to work in international development cooperation.

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