Seventy-eight (78) young women from Nairobi and Kiambu Counties today graduated from the PEPFAR/USAID-supported DREAMS Construction Skills Training program after successfully completing plumbing and electrical skills training conducted by accredited institutions at the Project Safe spaces. These young women are part of 427 graduates from the program to date who have broken barriers to become skilled plumbers and electricians in job sectors traditionally dominated by men.
Speaking during the graduation ceremony of 78 graduates, Principal Secretary, State Department of Social Protection and Senior Citizens Affairs, Hon. Joseph Motari, commended the impact of the USAID Tumikia Mtoto project in supporting job creation, especially for women. “The percentage of women who work in the construction sector as artisans in Kenya stands at a measly 3 percent. The government appreciates programmes geared towards the welfare and rights of women and children from all social environments, as well as establishing mitigation measures to assist women and children in emerging situations and poverty. Giving essential skills to this number of young women empowers them with the resilience and confidence to rise above life’s challenges and is a welcome move.”
Dr. David Githanga, Board Chair of World Vision Kenya, said, “Our vision is simple yet profound: to see every child experience life in all its fullness, and for every heart to possess the will to make it so. Despite advancements in the construction industry, the statistics remain staggering. Research shows that only three percent of construction artisans in Kenya are female, 15.5 percent of contractors, and 17 percent of quantity surveyors. This underrepresentation of women in the industry is troubling, given construction’s critical role in job creation. You will agree with me that this is one of the ways to change this narrative, empowering more youth to access life-saving skills, enabling them to build better lives.”
All the program graduates have received accreditation to practice by the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) and the National Construction Authority (NCA). An impressive 84 percent of them have already secured jobs or started their own businesses, showing the program’s transformative impact in job creation and economic empowerment for Kenyan youth. At today’s event, the graduates received their certificates and construction toolkits, setting them off to a good start in creating their own jobs or seeking gainful employment.
The graduation of these 78 young women marks another significant step in USAID’s partnership with Kenya’s public and private sector to empower women to overcome societal vulnerabilities and promote healthy outcomes and better livelihoods by advancing gender inclusivity in access to education, skills, and economic opportunities for all Kenyans.
The DREAMS Construction Skills Training program is funded by the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through USAID’s Tumikia Mtoto project. This transformative initiative, jointly implemented by World Vision Kenya and the Family Group Foundation, provides young women aged 18-24 with six months of hands-on training that equips them with job market skills for the construction industry. More than a vocational program, this initiative addresses the vulnerabilities that young women face, including the risk of HIV, gender-based violence, and economic instability.