Sauti Kuu Vocational Training Centre

Vocational education, particularly in crafts, lacks prestige in Kenya due to limited opportunities for young people, especially in rural areas, to explore career options and make informed choices. The government is making efforts to improve vocational education, but challenges remain, such as the lack of integration with the private sector and a need for better alignment with business needs.

To address these issues, Dr Auma Obama developed and initiated a vocational education partnership. The three-year project, funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through sequa gGmbH, aims to empower vocational training institutions in Kenya, starting with the Sauti Kuu Vocational Training Centre, to offer practical vocational orientation and qualifications. Sauti Kuu has been working in partnership with the Education Centre of the Bavarian Economy (bbw) gGmbH on the project.

The project collaborates with the business sector, including the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industries, to enhance vocational training opportunities for disadvantaged youth in Kisumu and Siaya counties. The focus is on developing creative and craft skills, along with social and communication competencies, to improve employability and economic prospects for disadvantaged youth, particularly girls, in rural areas. Each year, 120 selected disadvantaged youth are enrolled in the Vocational Training Level 3 course.

The desired outcomes include 160 disadvantaged youth successfully completing the vocational orientation and 70% of them starting vocational training in selected fields. The project aims for 70% of graduates to believe that vocational orientation has helped them choose their career paths and prepared them adequately for the job market.