In a powerful show of commitment to grassroots economic empowerment, the Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA), in collaboration with Gichugu Constituency Member of Parliament Hon. Gichimu Githinji, held a highly impactful sensitization and capacity-building forum at Gichugu TVET College.
The event brought together hundreds of youth and local Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs), who were sensitized on various national programs and opportunities aimed at strengthening their economic potential. Leading the MSEA team was Kirinyaga Regional Head, Ms. Elizabeth Gate, who highlighted the Authority’s core mandate—empowering MSMEs through formalization, training, market and financial linkages, provision of worksites, and support through County Industrial Development Centres (CIDCs). She urged attendees to visit the MSEA office in Kirinyaga for personalized guidance and services.
Echoing her sentiments, Mr. Bonface Mbugua, MSEA Nyeri Regional Head, emphasized the importance of formalizing business groups to access government support. He guided participants on the simplified registration process through the E-Citizen platform, encouraging the youth to form business groups and register with MSEA to unlock growth opportunities.
Adding to the momentum was Mr. Raphael Koome, Program Officer from @NYOTA_Kenya, who sensitized the audience on the NYOTA initiative—a national youth empowerment program targeting 110,000 youth aged 18–29 and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) up to age 35. Koome walked participants through the application process, accessible via USSD code *254#, and underscored the program’s aim to boost youth earnings, promote savings culture, and create sustainable jobs.
Engineer Edward Karani, MSEA Director of Infrastructure Development and Innovation, shared insights into the Kenya Jobs and Economic Transformation Project (KJET), which supports MSEs through training, co-investment in machinery, and Business Development Services (BDS) to enhance competitiveness across key value chains.
The forum was graced by local leadership including the Deputy County Commissioner for Gichugu East, representatives from the Kirinyaga County Government, Gichugu TVET Principal Mr. Joseph Kimemia, and officials from the Youth Enterprise Development Fund, Women Enterprise Fund, Uwezo Fund, and the State Department for Youth Affairs—all of whom offered practical advice and pledged support for local enterprise growth.
In his closing remarks, Hon. Gichimu Githinji thanked MSEA for its continued partnership in grassroots development and lauded the youth and entrepreneurs for showing up in large numbers. He particularly encouraged NYOTA program beneficiaries to make good use of the grants to establish or expand businesses, reminding them that such opportunities are both rare and potentially life-changing.
The event concluded with a significant boost for local production as registered groups received Common User Machines such as sewing and knitting machines—an initiative aimed at promoting value addition, enhancing productivity, and empowering local MSEs in Gichugu Constituency.
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