Marathoner Macharia extends youth empowerment project

Marathoner Isaac Macharia (right) with Kenswed Secondary School's Volleyball students at the school in Ngong, Kajiado County. Feb 7, 2022, [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Three-time Nagano Marathon champion Isaac Macharia believes the opening of a vocational training centre and dental clinic in Ngong is an important step in his quest to empower the youth towards self-employment.

Over the weekend, Macharia, a 2:07 marathoner and his development partners launched the vocational training centre and a dental clinic at Kenswed Organisation in Ngong, Kajiado County.

Kenswed is a brain child of Macharia and was started 10 years ago.

"Now that we have a secondary school, a hospital and a vocational training centre, our next focus is empowering the youth through a 'seed fund'. This will help those who are into entrepreneurship start their own small and micro enterprises. That is the motivation we have even as we seek for more partners to help roll out the programme," Macharia said.

"We want to empower the youth with skills and help them start up small businesses and cottage industries at their homes with the experience they are getting from Kenswed vocational training centre. That's my goal for the near future."

Macharia said the Covid-19 pandemic taught him and the world crucial lessons.

Swedish pop star Mans Zelmerlow, a founding member of ZBF Foundation - one of the Kenswed partners - added that music and sports will also be crucial in advancing the project.