The NEPAD/APRM Kenya Secretariat team together with a team from Skills Initiative for Africa (SIFA) carried out a due diligence exercise at Kisii National Polytechnic on 10, August 2021. SIFA is an initiative of the Africa Union Commission supported by the German government in several African Countries, which contributes to the employment orientation skills development for young people.

Mr. Erick Kiilu, the Ag. Director NEPAD Programmes (middle) Ms. Rebecca June Arunga, Deputy Director NEPAD Programmes (Next on the left) together with a team from Skills Initiative for Africa.

Kisii National Polytechnic and Kisumu National Polytechnic, won the 1st window of large skills development projects proposed by domestic training entities in partnership with companies for funding up to 3M Euros. The funding will support employment orientated skills development, build the capacity of public and private training institutions to deliver skills programs for youth in priority growth areas. The interventions funded through the window are construction, rehabilitation or expansion of learning infrastructure, procurement of training equipment’s, training of trainers, curriculum design and learners scholarship.

Mr. Erick Kiilu, the Ag. Director NEPAD Programmes, appreciated the progress made in actualizing the project and noted that the visit was expected to generate baseline information for the project. He further added that, in line with its mandates, the Secretariat will utilize these information to come up with both output and impact indicators to help in the monitoring of the project and overall assessment of its impact at the county and national level.

Consequently, In his remarks, Mr. David Mwangi, Kisii National Polytechnic Principal, assured both the Secretariat and SIFA teams, of his staff’s support during the due diligence exercise and subsequent site visit on the project’s proposed location.