In a groundbreaking effort to equip displaced youth with the skills and opportunities needed for dignified careers, BrighterMonday Kenya, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and Amahoro Coalition, hosted its first-ever Career Clinic at Ato Rite Resort in Kakuma, Turkana County.
Under the theme “Future Ready: Equipping Talent for Inclusive Digital Job Markets,” the event held on the eve of Labour Day convened 214 young job seekers, industry experts, and key stakeholders, tackling the barriers that keep Kenya’s youth, especially refugees and displaced communities, out of formal employment.
Kenya’s youth continue to face significant employment challenges, with only 10% of the workforce in formal jobs and over 31% of young people underemployed or unemployed. The situation is even more dire in displaced communities, where 75% of young men and 74% of young women in Kakuma remain out of work.
These challenges affect young people at a pivotal stage of personal and professional development. David Ereng, the Energy & Environment Officer and Acting Community Service Officer at the Department of Refugee Services, urged partners to support the young people. “We have witnessed the resilience of these youths in Kenya, and it is our collective responsibility to provide them with the tools and opportunities to rebuild their lives and contribute meaningfully to society,” he said.
Despite these obstacles, hope and action were at the heart of the clinic, where 119 youth signed up for free Soft Skills Training aimed at improving their digital, entrepreneurship, and job readiness skills.
“This event has opened my eyes to the endless opportunities available online. I am now motivated to proactively find the opportunities and connect with potential employers to enhance the lives of fellow young people in Kakuma,” reflected Kuchma Ramadan, a Product Intern at Konexio.
Recognizing the immense potential of Kakuma’s youth, BrighterMonday Kenya and its partners emphasized the importance of sustained engagement, digital training, and tailored job placement platforms.
“Every young person deserves the opportunity to build a meaningful and sustainable career. We have collaborated with Amahoro Coalition, which has deep ties to this community, and combined that with BrighterMonday’s job resources and training expertise. Together, we can do something phenomenal for the youth in Kakuma,” said Hilda Kabushenga, CEO of the African Talent Company, BrighterMonday Kenya’s parent company.
Stakeholders also discussed policy interventions, mentorship programs, and community-wide awareness campaigns to tackle barriers such as work permits, bank access, and cultural constraints affecting young women.
“Through this partnership, we witnessed the incredible potential of young people with lived experience of displacement taking center stage. We are especially proud of the connection built in Kakuma by our inaugural Amahoro Coalition Fellows, who are not only reshaping the narrative, they are reshaping realities on the ground and building lasting impact by mentoring the next generation of leaders,” said Isaac Kwaku, Curator of the Amahoro Coalition.
With a united front among job platforms, training providers, and local partners, Kakuma’s youth now have a clear path toward dignified, fulfilling employment, ensuring that no one is left behind in Africa’s evolving job market.
“Our Kakuma pilot is just the beginning,” affirmed Hilda Kabushenga, CEO of The African Talent Company. “We have set up a specific job platform for youth in Kakuma and are encouraging them to sign up, and once the job opportunities are available on the platform, they can easily apply. This is the first of many career clinics we want to do in Kenya as our commitment to growing the talent ecosystem. It is our commitment to solve the problem of skilling young people to be ready for their jobs; we can’t do this one-off, hence why we will keep doing this regularly in the course of this program.”
Looking ahead, BrighterMonday Kenya, the Mastercard Foundation, and Amahoro Coalition are committed to providing ongoing support to the youth of Kakuma. The immediate focus will be on ensuring the enrolled youth complete the Soft Skills Training program, empowering them with crucial competencies for the modern workplace. Furthermore, the partnership will continue facilitating access to online job platforms, guide CV development and interview techniques, and connect young talent with available opportunities. This collaborative effort aims to foster a sustainable ecosystem that enables the youth in Kakuma to take control of their futures and access dignified and fulfilling work in the digital age.
