Elijah Ntongai, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, has more than four years of financial, business, and technology research and reporting expertise, providing insights into Kenyan and global trends.

The Kenyan government has launched an ambitious initiative to support 6,500 young Kenyans who are seeking employment opportunities overseas by providing soft loans to cover pre-travel expenses.

Labour and Skills Development Principal Secretary Shadrack Mwadime, while speaking at Taita Taveta National Polytechnic, said the programme targets youth pursuing jobs in Dubai and Europe.

Mwadime emphasised that the programme will offer a financial lifeline to those facing barriers to international employment due to the high cost of pre-travel requirements.

Mwadime was speaking at the event on Saturday, which was attended by over 100 attendees, who had gathered to obtain essential documents and participate in interviews for positions such as riders, construction workers, and security guards in Dubai.

"Exciting news from Taita Taveta National Polytechnic! I unveiled a new government initiative providing soft loans for youth seeking job slots abroad. Over a hundred attendees have gathered to access essential documents and interviews for various positions in Dubai,” Mwadime said in a statement shared on X.

Mwandime urged the youths seeking job opportunities abroad but hindered by lack of finances to take advantage of the loans. He also commended KCB Bank for the facilitation of the loans ranging from KSh 300,000 to KSh 650,000 to individuals heading to Gulf countries and Europe.

The PS added that, the government’s Youth Fund will provide up to KSh 185,000 per applicant, repayable over six months, to further ease financial burdens like visa fees, airfare, and other travel costs.

"I encourage young individuals to take advantage of this initiative, highlighting loan offerings from KCB Bank Voi with low interest rates.Youth Fund loans is also given to a maximum of KSh 185 000 repayable in six months," Mwadime emphasised.

The recruitment drive, which began at Taita Taveta National Polytechnic, will continue until Monday, March 10.

Earlier, TUKO.co.ke reported that many Kenyans fall victim to fake recruitment agencies that charge hefty fees for non-existent jobs abroad, with Gulf countries being the most affected destinations.

Fraudsters take advantage of Kenya’s high unemployment rate by promising lucrative salaries and using fake testimonials. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Myanmar, and Canada are common hotspots for these scams, where victims face contract breaches, confiscated passports, and forced labor.

Experts urge job seekers to verify job offers through Kenya’s Ministry of Labour and use only licensed recruitment agencies to avoid falling prey to such scams.

President William Ruto says job creation is part of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation agenda that he campaigned under. He plans to secure 2 million jobs for Kenyans abroad and has already secured employment agreements with countries in the Middle East and in Europe.

The government say this will help the country deal with chronic unemployment rats mainly affecting young, educated Kenyans who leave universities and colleges but cannot be readily absorbed into the current job market.

Critics have however argued that this government programme will lead to brain drain in critical areas like education and health and also exposing Kenyans to risks like abuses in the destination countries.

Latest figures from the Kenya national Bureau of Statistics and the World bank put Kenya’s unemployment at about 5,7% which translates to about 3 million jobless Kenyan, with youth being the majority.

On Friday, President William Ruto and Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga signed a Memorandum of understanding (MOU), that recognized youth unemployment as one of the 10 key priority areas of their agreement.

They pledged to enact economic stimulus packages to revive the economy in order to create more job opportunities for the youth.

Source: TUKO.co.ke