The construction of the Nyeri Modern Market is creating more than a new trading facility, it is opening doors for young people to gain practical skills and build careers. For Samuel Maina Kimunya, the Nyeri Modern Market construction site is more than a workplace. It is a classroom where his technical training is being turned into practical skills.

The Thika Technical College graduate works on carpentry and formwork at the project, gaining hands-on experience that goes beyond what he learned in class.

“I have learned a lot here,” Samuel says, noting that he has also gained the ability to read construction drawings, an important skill in his trade.

His advice to other young people is straightforward: “Go out and look for work,” he says, urging young people who have completed school to take up available opportunities and continue learning on the job.

For Diana Muthoni Getira, the same construction site opened a different door. A Sociology and Economics graduate, Diana joined the project as an intern with little experience in construction. Today, she works as a Health and Safety Officer.

“Construction was unfamiliar territory at first. But the people here welcomed me,” she says, explaining how the support she received helped her identify a role that matched her strengths.

She says the supportive working environment helped her identify an area where she could apply her academic background while gaining new technical knowledge.

The project is also giving young people and interns a chance to gain experience that could shape their careers long after construction is complete.

Diana says the site provides opportunities based on skills and willingness to learn, with both qualified workers and casual labourers able to develop their capabilities.

Diana has witnessed first-hand the congestion at the existing market, particularly on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The new facility, alongside smart stores, is expected to provide additional trading space and better storage for both perishable and non-perishable goods.

For Samuel and Diana, however, the biggest takeaway is personal. Their experiences highlight how public infrastructure investments can deliver benefits beyond the completed structures,creating jobs, transferring skills and equipping young people to participate in the economy.

Their stories show that the construction of Nyeri Modern Market is creating more than a physical structure. It is also building skills, incomes, confidence and new possibilities for young people.