Ruto announces Sh6,000 monthly for 90,000 youths under new skills initiative

President William Ruto in Machakos County on January 15, 2026 / PCS

President William Ruto has announced a new initiative to support 90,000 young Kenyans who have completed Class 8, Form 2, or Form 4 but have not had the opportunity to continue their education or acquire vocational skills.

President Ruto said the government will sponsor courses in areas such as tailoring, cosmetics, and plumbing for the selected youths.

He said participants will receive a monthly stipend of Sh6,000 to cover travel and living expenses while attending the courses.

After six months, the government will pay examination fees and award certificates, enabling the youths to enter the job market with both skills and formal recognition.

“We are looking for 90, 000 young people who have finished Class 8, Form 2 and Form 4 and have not managed to proceed, but have a plan to do any course looking for a skill. There are those who would like to get skills, for example, they want to do tailoring, cosmetics and plumbing, but did not get the chance to go to college and do not have the skills. We are looking for 90,000 of them,” Ruto said.

“We shall pay for the course they want, give them Sh6, 000 every month to go home and back to school. We shall also pay their examination fee after six months and give them a certificate, so that with the skills and certificate, they will also look for work. If there are more than 90,000, we shall still support them.”

Ruto emphasised that the initiative is part of the broader bottom-up economic model, aimed at empowering those who have been previously overlooked.

“When we said bottom up is not a slogan, it is a plan so that those who have not gotten an opportunity to go to college and have a skill, we want to support them because they too deserve support from their government.”

He assured that if applications exceed 90,000, the government will expand the programme to accommodate more youths.

The initiative is expected to enhance employability and support economic inclusion among Kenya’s young population.

The President is also presiding over the NYOTA Project, a government initiative aimed at supporting youth-led businesses across the country.

Each beneficiary received Sh25, 000 to either start or expand their ventures, with Sh22,000 deposited directly into the Pochi La Biashara account to fund business operations and Sh3,000 saved under the Haba Na Haba savings account with the National Social Security Fund (NSSF).

The programme is designed to foster entrepreneurship, create employment opportunities, and enhance economic participation among young people in northern Kenya.

The initiative also aims to strengthen local markets by empowering youth to contribute to supply chains and stimulate business growth.

NYOTA funds are government-issued grants financed through the World Bank, targeting youth aged 18 to 29, and up to 35 for persons with disabilities.

Successful applicants receive Sh50,000, though only half the amount is disbursed initially to enable beneficiaries to kick-start their ventures.

The disbursement, accompanied by mentorship forums, began on January 8 in Eldoret and was expected to run for a week.

The ongoing distribution across 27 counties marks Phase Two of the programme, following a successful pilot in November 2025, which saw more than 12,000 young entrepreneurs in Kakamega, Vihiga, Busia, and Bungoma counties receive start-up capital.

Ruto has also visited Nakuru, Nanyuki, Nyeri and Machakos counties as part of the rollout.