Driving programme gives Kamukunji youth a new path to earning a living

Driving programme gives Kamukunji youth a new path to earning a living

The graduates received their driving licences during a ceremony held at Kamukunji Technical and Vocational College in Airbase Ward on Saturday.

Over 1,000 youth from Kamukunji Constituency can now earn a living through driving-related jobs after graduating from a training programme that equipped them with driving skills and licences.

The beneficiaries, who were trained at Rocky Driving School under the Kamukunji Youth Empowerment Programme, have praised Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan for supporting their training, saying the opportunity has given them a chance to seek employment, start businesses and improve their livelihoods.

The graduates received their driving licences during a ceremony held at Kamukunji Technical and Vocational College in Airbase Ward on Saturday.

Speaking during the event, Yusuf said providing young people with education and practical skills was important in helping them become independent and improve the lives of their families and communities.

“Education is more powerful than any weapon you can give to someone. If you give an education to someone, he/she is self-reliant, he/she elevates his/her life and the lives of his/her community,” he said.

One of the graduates, Sumeya Bilal, thanked the MP for the initiative, saying the opportunity had made a positive difference in her life.

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“We don’t know how to express our gratitude. Some of these things may seem small, but they have made a big difference in my life and lifted me up,” she said.

Sumeya explained that she joined the programme after her mother, who had also benefited from similar initiatives, encouraged her to apply before joining university.

She said she attended the driving lessons in March and April, initially intending to keep herself occupied before resuming her studies.

However, the training has given her an additional opportunity to earn money while pursuing her education.

Sumeya said she could now use her driving skills to support her delivery side business during school periods, allowing her to earn an income alongside her studies.

“I just did it because I need to actually occupy myself. But right now, even as a comrade, I have a side hustle during schools. We do deliveries, so I have that opportunity to work with business, even if I'm still studying,” she said.

She also encouraged other young people to take advantage of the programme, saying the opportunity had helped beneficiaries acquire valuable skills without having to struggle with the cost of driving lessons.

Another graduate, Ian Mwangi, said he had completed training in both manual and automatic driving under category B2.

He described the training as a long journey but said he was grateful to have completed it and graduated.

“Now at least today I can call myself a good driver, courtesy of Mheshimiwa MP Yusuf. God bless that MP of us because he has really supported and empowered me,” Mwangi said.

He explained that he had previously planned to enrol in a driving school but could not proceed because of financial difficulties.

However, Yusuf’s programme gave him an opportunity to join the training, complete the lessons and acquire his driving licence.

Mwangi said the skills had opened several opportunities for him to earn a living, including working as a taxi driver.

“Today my family can’t sleep angry. I can work. I can have a taxi. I can work,” he said.

He added that the training exposed him to different types of vehicles, including manual cars, lorries and Nissan vehicles, giving him the ability to handle various categories of vehicles covered during the course.

Yusuf said more than 1,600 young men and women had undergone training under the Kamukunji Youth Empowerment Programme since the beginning of the year.

He announced that the programme would continue with the launch of its second cohort in November, which will accommodate another 400 trainees.

The MP noted that all the graduates came from informal settlements within Kamukunji, adding that the training was intended to equip them with skills they could use to secure employment and establish businesses.

He said the graduates could pursue opportunities as matatu drivers, delivery van operators or use their licences to support their own businesses.

“This is what empowerment looks like: giving our youth the practical skills to support themselves, their families and their community, and to succeed in life on their own terms,” Yusuf said.

He congratulated the graduates and encouraged them to use their newly acquired skills to pursue their ambitions.