Kenya

Projects

Improving skills for young plumbers and electricians through dual apprenticeship training (PropelA)

The PropelA project seeks to introduce a dual apprenticeship model driven by employers for the construction industry in Kenya and beyond, starting with plumbers and electricians.

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News

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17.05.2023

A dual training model for Kenya

Together with the Hilti Foundation, and in close collaboration with leading local businesses and vocational schools, Swisscontact is creating a new vocational training model in Kenya. Since starting in April 2022, the project has become a showcase for an employer-guided dual apprenticeship-based training model for Kenya’s construction sector as well as for other sectors and developing countries.

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06.03.2023

Swiss Delegation visit to the PropelA Dual Apprenticeship project in Kenya

Despite their academic qualifications, many young people in Kenya struggle to find employment because they lack practical skills that are in high demand in the job market. This has been attributed to the country’s significant skills shortages in many trades and at different levels which has primarily been addressed either by importing foreign qualified workers or by training informally on the job. The lack of qualified workers has a negative impact on the industry overall, resulting in many incidences of accidents, material wastage and low productivity and quality of construction. At the same time, there is an increasing number of young people entering the labour market, often without prior access to training nor the necessary skills for quality employment. To solve the underlying challenge, Swisscontact is implementing a Dual Apprenticeship model, dubbed the PropelA program, borrowed from the Swiss model of Dual apprenticeship and localised to fit the Kenyan Context.

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26.01.2023

Hotel Isimbi is just the beginning

Janete fled from her home country Rwanda to Kenya in 2014. Despite having started off with little in the Kakuma refugee camp, she founded her own catering business thanks to training.

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Country Director Kenya

Lilian Mwai - Ndegwa

Interventions

Swisscontact works in Kenya to reduce unemployment and improve the livelihoods of refugees, smallholders, MSMEs and the youth. Swisscontact strengthens their prospects of gainful employment by facilitating technical skills training, promoting financial literacy, and offering linkages to formal financial institutions.

For over a decade, Swisscontact has played a role in alleviating poverty through implementing interventions that increase access to financial products and services. Through Inclusive Finance Programmes micro-enterprises, subsistence farmers and low-income households have increased their economic activities.

In the Kakuma Refugee Camp Swisscontact supports refugees and the host community to move from humanitarian support to a lasting development pathway. Activities include income-generating capabilities and employability by facilitating technical skills training in addition to literacy, numeracy, financial and life skills, combining theoretical and hands-on techniques.

Inclusive Finance Programme - 14 Years of Financial Services in East Africa

Although the 2018 IMF Financial Access Survey confirms a positive trend in access to financial products and services in Sub-Saharan Africa, many people are still excluded from the formal financial market system. Sub-Saharan Africa comprises 48 countries and 47% of the people live on less than $ 1.9 a day (World Bank 2018). To a considerable extent...

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Skills for Life - project journey

The Promoting Life Skills and Livelihoods project commonly referred to as Skills for Life (S4L) was designed to strengthen the income-generating capabilities of youth (both refugee and from the host community) in Kakuma by enhancing their technical, financial, life and literacy skills to improve their chances of an enriched livelihood.

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Microleasing

Transforming the lives of entrepreneurs and smallholder farmers through innovative financial solutions.

The Journey of Microleasing in Eastern Africa 2006 – 2017.

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Jobs

Motivated and productive employees with initiative constitute the most important success factor in all areas of our work. We count on individuals who are looking to the future, impact- and team-oriented, and want to work in international development cooperation.

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