Youths build their way out of poverty

By Dann Okoth

The Kibera Slum Upgrading Project may be a major undertaking, but it is not just the large construction firms that are benefiting from it.

Youths in Kibera have landed a rare training sponsorship that could see them compete for contracts with multinationals.

And, the initiative, which could lift hundreds of youth out of poverty, began as a joke in February 2007, when UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visited the slum.

Youth co-ordinator Linus Sijenyi.

Mr Ban had arrived in Kibera to inspect the implementation of the slum project, co-funded by United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), when he met the youth.

Why would so many of them be around to greet him when people should be away at work? Moon reportedly enquired of the youth, who had gathered to meet him.

It was then that the UN boss was told the youth had no jobs.

The top diplomat was rendered speechless. On his return to New York, he dispatched a cheque for $100,000 (Sh8 million) to Kibera youth to help them engage in some economic activity. "It was then that we sat down with Habitat officials to discuss how best we could spend the money," says Mr Linus Sijenji, the Kibera youth co-ordinator. They chose construction.

Heavy machinery

But the youth were not going to spend their money in purchasing huge earth-moving equipment or building materials.

Instead, they opted to use the money to hone their skills in construction on how best to offer professional service.

"Most of the youth were already involved in the industry as unskilled workers anyway," he says.

Sijenji adds Habitat engaged the youth in a training programme to produce cheap building blocks. The youths have since learned to produce the low-cost Stabilised Soil Blocks and soon, they would begin producing the highly popular and futurist Hydroform Interlocking Blocks.

"So far we have witnessed the successes of the programme as more youth have been trained in building and construction," he says.

According to the co-ordinator, 120 youths will be sent to Kenya Water Institute to train as plumbers and Don Bosco Catholic Church training facility to train as electricians.

In all, he says, 320 youth would have graduated by the end of the first phase of the programme.

Kibera slums. The UN slum upgrading programme (in the background) is providing a chance for youth to acquire construction skills. [PHOTOS: EVANS HABIL/STANDARD]

"The youth will gain more from the Kibera slum upgrading project since they will be contracted as skilled rather than as unskilled labourers like they did before," say Sijenji.

Besides that, many are looking forward to forming their own companies and bid for jobs as building contractors.

"Our aim is to form our own companies that could competitively bid for such contracts on equal level with big companies," he says.

Bank loans

He adds: "Much as this might seem far fetched, the idea is viable, especially with more training opportunities and resources like bank loans."

But the most crucial point for the youth is that they have a say in the project.

"It is encouraging that the Government recently gave us an opportunity to contribute views on the way forward for the project," says Michael Wanjohi, an official of a co-operative committee.

More importantly, they argue, the involvement of the youth would fulfill the purpose of the concept of slum upgrading.

"Slum upgrading ought not to improve just the physical facilities of the slum dwellers but also improve their livelihood and open opportunities for youths," says Sijenji.

However, it remains to be seen how the initiative will flourish given the highly competitive and intricate nature of the building and construction industry.