More than 700 Garissa youth enrol in digital skills programme targeting jobs and entrepreneurship
More than 700 young people in Garissa’s refugee-hosting communities have enrolled in a digital skills programme aimed at unlocking employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in Kenya’s growing digital economy.
The programme, implemented by Power Learn Project (PLP) in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO), Microsoft, and the Garissa County Government, aims to train 1,700 young people in Garissa and Turkana counties.
In Garissa, the initiative received more than 1,000 applications, with women accounting for 35% of applicants. Sixteen of the 37 digital hubs supporting the programme across the two counties have been onboarded so far.
Participants are undertaking a 25-week blended learning programme covering digital and workplace skills, with training ranging from foundational courses to specializations in cloud computing, artificial intelligence and data analytics.
The programme also includes professional certification and career support designed to help graduates move into employment, entrepreneurship and remote work. Microsoft is providing up to 1,000 certification vouchers for graduates, covering qualifications such as Azure Fundamentals, Azure AI Fundamentals, Power BI Data Analyst and Microsoft 365 Fundamentals.
Garissa Governor Nathif Jama Adam said the county’s young people need access to skills that match the changing nature of work.
“Our young people must have access to the skills and opportunities needed to participate in that future. This program brings practical digital learning to our communities while creating pathways that can translate skills into employment, entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods.” He said.
PLP Co-Founder and Executive Director Mumbi Ndung’u said the initiative was intended to address the gap between access to technology and access to economic opportunities.
“Talent is universal; access to opportunity is not. Our work with the ILO and Microsoft in Garissa is about correcting that imbalance by building the skills, infrastructure and pathways that allow young people, regardless of geography or circumstance, to compete, create and earn in the global digital economy.” Ndung’u said.
The Garissa launch follows the rollout of the programme in Kakuma, Turkana County, in June 2026. Both counties host large refugee populations, making access to employment and skills development a key concern for young people in refugee and host communities.
“Digital transformation is reshaping labour markets faster than policy can keep pace. For refugee-hosting communities, the risk isn’t being left behind, it’s being excluded altogether from the opportunities now defining economic participation. Investing in market-relevant, internationally recognised digital skills for these communities is sound labour market policy, and a commitment that no one is shut out of the opportunities that digital transformation creates.” Added Caroline Njuki, ILO Kenya Chief Technical Advisor.
The programme will continue in Garissa and Turkana, with the partners focusing on digital training, certification and employment pathways to help young people access income-generating opportunities.
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