Seven hundred school leavers in Kisumu County are set to benefit from a digital literacy programme to be conducted by African Centre for Women and Technology in partnership with the county government of Kisumu.
County Governor Jack Ranguma said those who were selected for the programme are class eight dropouts and ruled out that those who dropped at form four will not be considered.
Ranguma said the programme aims to improve the lives and livelihoods of young people in rural areas.
“There are many young people in Kisumu County, most of them dropped after class eight and they thought that was the end of them with education. The county is here to help them learn something on computers,” he said.
Speaking on Monday during the launch of the programme in Kisumu, the governor said the programme, the first of its kind in the country will give a lifeline to school drop outs.
He said the young people will be empowered with computer education which includes knowledge in computer programming and desktop publishing amongst other technical skills.
Ranguma said that through providing entrepreneurial skills to rural youth, the project aims to reduce poverty, crime and computer illiteracy among the youth.
He said this is the best opportunity to tap the potential of young people in computer noting that the county stands to benefit from their expertise.