KPC Foundation expands INUKA programme to vocational skills for youth in Mukuru

From Left: KPC Foundation Manager, Ms. Rachel Gathoni, Board of Trustees Mr. Pius Mwendwa, Dr. Joyce Emanikor, KPC MD and Foundation Chair Mr. Joe Sang, Ms. Zilper Abong’o, Local Acting Area Chief Ms. Ann Njambi, Ms. Carol Kiplagat, and a Mukuru Community Elder./HANDOUT

The Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) Foundation has launched the INUKA Vocational Youth Empowerment Programme, marking a major expansion of its flagship scholarship initiative.

The initiative will now include vocational and technical training for youth living near KPC installations.

The programme was launched in Nairobi on February 10, 2026, and will benefit 31 young people drawn from 14 villages in the Mukuru area.

The initiative targets youth from neighbouring communities, with a focus on practical skills that respond to the realities of unemployment and limited access to higher education.

Under the programme, beneficiaries will undergo six months of training in welding and fabrication and electrical installation technology. This will be followed by a three-month industrial attachment at the Morendat Institute of Oil and Gas (MIOG), Nairobi Campus.

Of the selected trainees, 13 are young women, a move that reflects the Foundation’s commitment to gender equality and the inclusion of women in technical fields that have traditionally been dominated by men.

Speaking during the launch, KPC Managing Director and KPC Foundation Chairperson Joe Sang said the programme demonstrates the Foundation’s responsiveness to the evolving needs of young people.

“At KPC, we believe education is the most powerful equalizer. By expanding the INUKA Program to include vocational training, we are responding directly to the realities facing our youth and equipping them with practical skills that translate into employment, entrepreneurship, and sustainable livelihoods,” Sang said.

He added that technical training plays a critical role in preparing young people for today’s labour market.

“Technical skills equip young people with market relevant competencies that enhance employability in high demand industries. These skills open pathways to formal employment, entrepreneurship, and long-term economic stability for households and communities,” he said.

Morendat Institute of Oil and Gas Director Dr Nancy Kosgei welcomed the expansion of the INUKA programme, describing it as timely and impactful.

“The expansion of the INUKA programme to include vocational and technical training is a timely and impactful intervention that reflects a deliberate effort to equip young people with practical, employable skills,” Dr Kosgei said.

She said the institute was pleased to support an initiative that responds to the skills needs of the energy and industrial sectors while uplifting neighbouring communities.

KPC Foundation said the vocational programme builds on its broader mission of advancing inclusive, equitable and quality education for learners from marginalised and vulnerable communities across the country.

Established in 2017, the KPC Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Kenya Pipeline Company. It focuses on education through infrastructure development, provision of ancillary equipment, INUKA scholarships and the empowerment of youth, women and persons with disabilities.

The Foundation also supports water and sanitation projects and environmental conservation initiatives.

The Morendat Institute of Oil and Gas National Polytechnic is KPC’s training institution specialising in developing human capital in the oil and gas sector, with campuses in Nairobi, Naivasha and Eldoret.