Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga on Monday joined President William Ruto in Kisumu for the official disbursement of the NYOTA Fund, describing the programme as a major milestone for youth empowerment in the region.
The event, held at Jomo Kenyatta Stadium in Mamboleo, brought together young people from Kisumu, Siaya and Homa Bay counties who are set to benefit from the initiative aimed at tackling youth unemployment through enterprise support.
Ms Odinga said the fund marked a shift from traditional approaches to youth empowerment, noting that leaders had for years struggled to find effective ways of addressing joblessness among young people.
“Our youth are the heartbeat and the future of this country. For a long time, as leaders, we have grappled with finding the most effective mechanisms to truly empower our young people,” she said, while praising President Ruto for what she termed a noble intervention.
She singled out the design of the NYOTA Project, saying its strength lay in its holistic approach. According to Ms Odinga, the programme combines seed capital, financial literacy training and mentorship, giving young entrepreneurs both resources and skills.
“There is the seed capital to kick-start dreams, financial literacy that equips our youth with knowledge before they receive the money, and mentorship to guide them through the challenges of business after disbursement,” she said. “This is the perfect combo and a blueprint for transforming our youth from job seekers into employers of the future.”
President Ruto said the government was committed to investing in young people by supporting entrepreneurship and self-employment, noting that access to capital and skills remained a major hurdle for many.
Ms Odinga urged leaders to avoid politicising unemployment, saying development initiatives should unite leaders across the political divide.
“Unemployment knows no political party. When we bring development to our people, we move as one,” she said, adding that leaders from the region fully support programmes that put money and skills into the hands of young people.
