Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for ICT Joe Mucheru (2nd R) and Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Liu Xianfa (2nd L) give a certificate to a trainee at the graduation ceremony of Huawei digital skills development program in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, on April 26, 2017. (Xinhua/Pan Siwei)
Thirty Kenyan youth drawn from low income families on Wednesday graduated from a six weeks digital skills development program funded by Chinese telecommunications giant, Huawei.
The youth underwent an intensive training program to upgrade their skills in computing, use of internet and entrepreneurship.
Cabinet Secretary for ICT, Joe Mucheru said government has forged strategic partnerships with industry and academia to bridge the digital divide through investments in broadband infrastructure and human capital.
"Providing youth from underprivileged backgrounds with high end ICT skills is an integral part of the government's strategy to alleviate unemployment and its related social ills," Mucheru said.
Huawei technologies in partnership with Kenya's ICT Authority implemented the digital skills development program aimed at improving computer literacy and entrepreneur skills among youth from financially constrained backgrounds.
"We have increased investments in training programs that enable youth acquire technical skills like coding, computer assembly and entrepreneurship. These are critical skills set required to drive growth of knowledge based economy," said Mucheru.
He said Huawei has also supported Presidential Digital Talent Program that aims to polish ICT skills and employability among university students.
The Chinese government and enterprises are keen to play a central role in hastening Kenya's digital transformation.
Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, Liu Xianfa said Beijing has prioritized vocational training and technology transfer in a bid to strengthen bilateral cooperation with East Africa's largest economy.
"Digital skills for life program stand as an epitome of China-Kenya skills and technology transfer to hasten realization of vision 2030," Liu said.
Huawei has set aside adequate funds to support digital skills upgrade for Kenya's youth through internship and job placement.
Dean Yu, the CEO of Huawei in Kenya said that provision of technical and life skills to under-privileged Kenyan youth is at the heart of Huawei's corporate social responsibility strategy.
"We are committed to enrich the lives of Kenyan people especially disadvantaged youth with technical skills," said Dean, adding that Huawei aims to build an ecosystem to speed up technology transfer in Kenya.
