Project goal

With this project, our partner Strathmore Educational Trust through their institution Eastlands Col-lege of Technology (ECT) is working together with two co-partners St. Kizito VTI and Imani Marianist. The aim is to recruit small businesses from the Jua Kali (“under the sun”) sector as trainers for the dual training system. Participants are prepared in the best possible way for the labor market and the working reality in this sector.

Jua Kali sector: Nairobi’s largest employer

Nairobi is the capital and economic engine of Kenya. Many of the city’s 4.47 million inhabitants are young people living in poverty without receiving school education or vocational training. As a conse-quence, many have found only informal employment and apprenticeships in the Jua Kali sector. In 2019, the informal sector employed more than 15 million Kenyans, about five times more than the formal sector.

Businesses from the Jua Kali sector become apprenticeship providers

The project aims to harness the potential of the Jua Kali sector. In cooperation with training centers, companies from the formal and informal sectors, and representatives of the regulatory authorities, a qualitative training program for trainers will be developed and piloted for Jua Kali micro businesses. This will involve the small enterprises taking on trainees and passing on their knowledge.

Our local partner

Strathmore Educational Trust has been implementing projects to promote education and alleviate poverty and hardship in Kenya since 1986. In addition to the ECT, also Strathmore School and Strathmore University are part of the organization. Co-partners in this project are St. Kizito VTI and Imani Marianist, both of which run educational centers for needy youth from the slums of Nairobi.