At 21, Elizabeth Edoket from Kaaleng Business Centre in Turkana North is proving that with the right opportunity, youth from the most remote areas can thrive.
Elizabeth, a participant of USAID Nawiri’s Ujuzi Mashinani Programme, is a remarkable example of how skills training can lead to economic empowerment and improved living standards, including better nutrition at the household level.
Despite never stepping foot in a formal classroom, Elizabeth’s journey took a transformative turn when she joined the Nawiri Ujuzi Mashinani initiative. Through a three-month programme, she learnt tailoring skills, an essential skill that has now become an economic activity for her as well as a vital service for her community.
“I chose tailoring as a course so that I could bring the initially unavailable services closer to my people,” Elizabeth explains. “We don’t need to move to far towns like Lokitaung to get new clothes. We can now make them right here.”
Not only has Elizabeth’s tailoring business empowered her to support herself financially, but it has also had a ripple effect on her community. Her work allows local families to save on travel expenses for basic clothing needs, freeing up resources for more nutritious food. By improving her own livelihood, Elizabeth is contributing to a healthier, more self-reliant community.
Elizabeth’s story is a shining example of how equipping last-mile youth with practical skills can improve their lives, drive local economic growth, and enhance food security at the household level. Thanks to the USAID Nawiri Ujuzi Mashinani Programme, Elizabeth is not just a tailor; she is a catalyst for change and an inspiration to the youth in Kaaleng and beyond.
Through the USAID Nawiri Ujuzi Mashinani programme, in collaboration with the county government of Turkana, 749 youth in Turkana North Sub-County have benefitted from initiatives in tailoring, motorbike repairs, boat making, catering, and hairdressing. Additionally, these efforts include key nutrition messaging aimed at reducing persistent acute malnutrition in Turkana.
The Last Mile Youth for Better Livelihoods and Nutrition through Ujuzi Mashinani Initiative is a programme that provides skills training to young people in Turkana County, Kenya, to help them improve their lives and nutrition.
The programme’s goals include empowering youth and helping young people from far-flung areas contribute to the local economy, helping to address high poverty levels in the area. It also aims at addressing malnutrition, the skills gap, and also helping to revitalise education in the area.
The programme offers skills-based training in areas such as masonry, dressmaking, hairdressing, plumbing, electrical wireman, and catering.
By Peter Gitonga