Job Skills Training for Marginalized Kenyan Youth

Dear Friends,

We are excited to send you an update from the Shauri Yako Community Youth Centre (SYSC). Thanks to your GlobalGiving donations and a generous gift from a longtime SYSC donor, our tailoring skills training program is back! We had to pause this program three years ago as we emerged from the pandemic due to a lack of funding, despite high demand from youth. 

As I write, the tailoring skills program is in its fourth month and is going very well. We have 16 trainees who will graduate in September 2026. We plan to find an industry internship for each trainee, after which they will be certified. This means prospective employers will have confidence that our graduates are job-ready when they apply to positions in the workforce. Tailoring skills are also valuable to participants looking to start a business and pursue self-employment. 

Construction Skills Training:

SYSC continues to provide skills training for out-of-school youth. With the increased demand for skilled workers in the construction industry this year, we are also working with colleges under the Ministry of Education's Department of Vocational Training to provide internships for their students, a requirement for graduation. We are currently supporting 20 trainees (masonry, welding, plumbing, tile fitting, and carpentry) and 12 electrician interns. We are also extremely happy to report that all of our 2025 trainees have secured full-time jobs with our partners in the construction industry or the country government.

Our Scouts and Life Skills programs also continue to provide essential life, leadership, civic engagement, and mental and physical health support for youth. 

We appreciate your sincere hearts and generous donations. 

Dear friends,

As 2025 draws to a close, we'd like to thank you for helping us create economic opportunities for some of Kenya's most underprivileged youth. Our skills training programs, in partnership with our donors, the private and public sectors, are a proven way to change lives for youth. 

SYSC's 2025 HIGHLIGHTS

Construction Skills training: 

We are proud to have provided free construction skills training and secured jobs for 18 youth, in collaboration with county governments, the National Construction Authority, National Industrial Training Authority, CAPYEI and construction industry partners. We also organized internship placements for 10 civil engineering students.

• 4 masons
• 3 plumbers
• 4 welders
• 3 tile layers 
• 2 cabro pavers
• 2 carpenters
• 10 civil engineering student interns 

Policy Advocacy

SYSC has continued discussions with county governments and the construction industry - the biggest employers in Kenya - to consider maximizing job creation in all their projects. This proposal has been well-received and we look forward to its implementation in the near future.

Tailoring and dressmaking:

We are thrilled to have found a new sponsor for this program, which has been on hold since COVID due to a lack of funds. We have recruited two new trainers and will resume training in 2026! 

Scouts & Life Skills Training:

This program, made possible through your donations, promotes leadership and social skills, positive mental health, and strengthens coping strategies and self-confidence. It also teaches health and hygiene practices and decision-making. Youth in our Scouts program also provide much-needed services to our community. We are currently recruiting new members.   

Maternal Health Education 

This special project has trained three Maternal Health Workers, who are now serving women from Shauri Yako, Manjengo and Kiawara's informal communities who might otherwise miss out on essential healthcare services before, during and after pregnancy. Women who do not get recommended health care services during pregnancy are at greater risk of childbirth complications or death during childbirth, or infant health and well-being afterward. This special project is supported by the Nyeri County government and funded by the Government of Japan through JOICFP.  

On behalf of all of us at SYSC, thank you for your unwavering support. Your donations have provided livelihood for many people in desperate need, skills training and jobs, and have made a huge impact in our communities. May we continue to bring hope and change to the lives of those who need it most in 2026.  

Asante sana.

Joe Mwai