Sports and Culture and Arts Cabinet Secretary has launched Plug Mtaani- Vijana 2invest, an initiative aimed at training the youth on wealth creation and investment.

According to the CS, the initiative’s main objective is to connect business ideas to opportunities.

It will be executed in the form of a business ideas competition among the youth.

Plug Mtaani-Vijana 2invest foundational enterprise development program is a product of a partnership by Mastercard, Ken I’ve at, Radico Kenya, Institute of Certified SIYB International Labour Orgarnization and Cresent 360 Limited.

Speaking during the launch the CS said the President’s youth agenda is the primary agenda of the initiative where youths will be guided to become co-creators of employment through partnerships.

“This initiative is under President William Ruto’s directive. As a ministry, we aim to train our youths to not be just job seekers but to be co-creators of jobs and investments,” he said.

“We want to see the youths have a total paradigm change and become co-creators with investors, the government among others.”

According to the CS, the competition will involve youths from the counties who will participate in business idea generation and the creation of a business plan.

Youths Will pitch their idea before the judges who will select the categories and awarding will be done in counties.

The competition will run from the county to the national level of government where winners from each category and also the participants will be awarded.

The Best Nationally will be awarded Sh 10 million by the President.

Kenya Investment Authority (KenInvest) Managing Director June Chepkemoi said the initiative will help to empower the youth to take charge of their economic investment

“We need to direct our youths to Domestic Direct Investment and Foreign Direct Investment. We also need to build financial literacy among the youths and let them become less of earners of wages but owners of capital,” she said.

The Institute of Certified SIYB Trainers (ICST) Chairman Geoffrey Kilonzo said the program will create a saving and investment culture among the youth.

“We are here to change the mind of the youth and make them believe that entrepreneurship can work,” he said.

Kilonzo further outlined that this initiative will link the youths to their financial opportunities, grants and investors.

“We will be training the youths on how to develop a bankable business plan and how to generate feasible and innovative business ideas,” he said.