Programme will open up training and education for marginalised and unemployed youth in Kenya
More young people in Kenya, including women and youth with disabilities, are set to access quality higher education and work-related training thanks to a new programme implemented by leading international pan-disability charity Leonard Cheshire. This is part of Global Skills for Prosperity (S4P) Programme delivered by the UK government.
The £5 million programme will run for two-and-a-half years, starting this month (October 2020). S4PK is part of the global Skills for Prosperity Programme.
The programme will provide technical assistance which draws on UK expertise to improve the quality, relevance, equity and cost-effectiveness of higher education (HE) and technical and vocational education and training (TVET).
Leonard Cheshire is leading this initiative with the International Labour Organization, the Open University UK, Federation of Kenya Employers, Forum for African Women Educationalists, Warwick Institute of Employment Research, Edukans and Capital Strategies to deliver the Skills for Prosperity Programme Kenya (S4PK).
The programme will facilitate increased access for marginalised young people, young people with disabilities, and women. This will enable them to improve their skills, subsequently leading to increased employment rates amongst these groups. The programme will also support the use of technology in the education system to enable remote learning.
This new programme further builds on the work already initiated by Leonard Cheshire to improve education and access to employment, following the launch of its i2i Programme in Kenya last year.
Deputy British High Commissioner, Julius Court said:
“The UK is committed to ensuring disability inclusion and vulnerable groups are at the heart of our development agenda. We believe this programme will help women, youth and the disabled tap into their potential; ensuring that the gains benefit many, leaving no one behind.”
Tiziana Oliva, Executive Director – Global Influencing and Impact at Leonard Cheshire, said:
“We are very pleased to receive funding for such an impactful initiative. The Kenya Skills for Prosperity Programme will break down many barriers for people hoping to enter higher education and vocational training enabling them to develop their skills, and secure fulfilling careers.”
Media enquiries
For further information, photos and interview requests, please contact: Samuel Buckley on samuel.buckley@leonardcheshire.org.
Skills for Prosperity
Skills for Prosperity (S4P) is a UK government programme which is investing up to £75m in HE, TVET and ELT across nine partner countries. In Kenya, Leonard Cheshire is leading the Skills for Prosperity (S4PK) consortium, which includes the International Labour Organization, The Open University (UK), Federation of Kenya Employers, Forum for African Women Educationalists, Warwick Institute for Employment Research, Edukans and Capital Strategies.
Find out more about the programme.
i2i Programme
i2i Programme, which is funded by the FCDO and commenced in July 2019, brings together a consortium of influential partners from the Global North and Global South who will work collaboratively to ensure persons with disabilities, a critically underutilised talent pool, are actively recruited and retained in meaningful employment in the private sector in Kenya and Bangladesh.