Over one million Kenyans, every year, finish high schools, colleges and universities. Their parents and the government’s already in place are required to have jobs ready for them so they can progress to work, build the country and start families. Diaspora University Town (DUT) jobs creation plan is for achieving jobs for those becoming adults and finishing schools, colleges and universities.
After graduating from Kiriri Women’s University, I spent a few years searching for a job. I took up different hustles and had almost given up on getting a job despite my educational investment. I would attend the DUT workshop at the DUT site in Voi. I learnt that DUT was a job creation project and I got a job. Today my work is to advance the DUT 20,000 jobs creation plan that will be achieved as we build a well-planned town with a university, hospital and about 300 Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs.)
60-70% of the 20,000 jobs created are expected to be taken up by Generation Z. Similarly, over 90% of the students enrolled in Diaspora University by the year 2030 will be Generation Z. This is a project for generation Z and future generations.
DUT jobs creation and housing development plan has demonstrated how Kenyans can come together to create jobs. The DUT plan has 3,778 plots. The plots will have buildings that will be applied for university, hospital, town, MSMEs, organizations and residential.
About 20,000 Kenyans will be investors. They will own property and the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). They will develop a town with a sustainable ecosystem and a clean and healthy environment.
I also see DUT as a call to our generation Z to embrace jobs creation. As Generation Z joins DUT, we are looking forward to teaming up in progressing the development of well-planned towns and cities across the 47 counties in Kenya. By 2030, we should be developing over 10 projects that have created over 100,000 jobs and are progressing to create more jobs.
There are several key issues that have led to low jobs creation. One of the key issues involves the finance sector. When comparing to Canada the DUT project director, Dan Kamau, said that one Canada Bank has $1 trillion assets and all the Kenya banks have $70 billion (Ksh7 trillion) assets. Kenya banking needs to adopt what has worked in developed countries and be part of creating jobs for those entering the job market.
Being part of DUT has also enabled me to understand the valuable time those in our twenties, who are tarmacking looking for jobs, are losing. A young person who goes through their 20’s without a job can lose even 20,000 hours that would have made him or her income and wealth. This time lost that would have been applied to build houses, roads and open businesses is today reflected in the dirty environment, slums and unpaved roads.
Generation Z born 1997 – 2012 are about 9 million Kenyans today. About 5 million aged 18 years to 28 years are in the early working years. The 5 million have a time resource of 10 billion hours every year. These hours put to productive use will help them achieve their rights in Kenya Constitution 42, 43 and 53 of environment, food, healthcare, housing, clean water, education, social security and children rights.
DUT's goal is to ensure that this time is not lost. To the banking sector, if you join us in making the 10 billion hours productive your bank deposits and loans will increase. It is time for young people who have matured to adults to get jobs, work and achieve their constitutional rights.
Written by Faith Mwachala, of DUT Property & MSME’s.
Visit www.dut.or/ke/sme or Email sme@dut.or.ke to be a Job Creator
