The Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA) and Moringa School have joined forces to support the Jitume Skills Program in Kenya by signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU). With this partnership, young people will have access to digital skills training through the Moringa School platforms. The Jitume Skills Program is a government initiative that aims to accelerate the onboarding of Kenyans into the Digital Economy. It provides job centres, learning centres, and job linkages in partnership with private sector companies in Kenya. The program’s goal is to enable one million young Kenyans to participate in digitally enabled jobs within the next three to five years.

The MoU signed between KoTDA and Moringa School will facilitate technology transfer between the two institutions, promote local content, and customize technologies from around the world to fit the local context. The Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy, Eng. John Tanui, witnessed the signing of the MoU. This collaboration will focus on designing and implementing the Jitume Skills Program, which aims to provide a pathway for young people to overcome the barriers of devices, skills, and opportunities that exist in Kenya. With this partnership, KoTDA and Moringa School seek to help bridge the digital skills gap in Kenya.

During the Connected Summit 2023 in Kwale, Eng. Tanui, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy, praised Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA) and Moringa School for their efforts in driving digital skills development in Kenya for the benefit of the digital economy. He commended the two organizations for ensuring that programs available at Moringa School are accessible to Jitume beneficiaries, enabling young Kenyans to receive quality training and access to global opportunities.

Eng. Tanui emphasized that the youth will be able to learn and access digital skills, propelling them to access global online jobs. The five-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) between KoTDA and Moringa School will connect Jitume participants who enroll in Moringa programs to local and international employers.

John Paul Okwiri, the Acting CEO of Konza, described the MoU as a boost to the Jitume Program, which is currently being rolled out across the country. He expressed gratitude for the support from Moringa School, which will enable them to expand the program’s reach throughout the rest of the country.

Moringa School CEO Snehar Shah said that the MoU builds on their success as a training institution while supporting digital jobs creation in Kenya. He stated that this engagement marks a significant milestone for Moringa School and will scale up their achievements in creating digital talent.

Moringa School is a multi-disciplinary learning accelerator that aims to bridge the skills gap in Africa’s job markets by providing tech-based learning to high-potential job seekers. Upon graduation, Moringa School connects them to local and international employers seeking high-quality tech talent. Their commitment to transformative learning has helped many individuals acquire skills that are in high demand, enabling them to participate in the digital economy.

Konza Technopolis Development Authority is responsible for implementing the Konza Technopolis project, a flagship project under Kenya’s Vision 2030. The project aims to establish Konza Technopolis as a smart city of international standards, positioning Kenya as a preferred Science, Technology & Innovation (ST&I) destination and a knowledge-based economy. The city has already begun to make an impact on the country through programs such as Jitume, which is expected to generate at least 17,000 direct jobs by the end of Phase One.

The Jitume Program is a government initiative that involves multiple ministries and implementing agencies, including the Ministry of ICT and the Digital Economy, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Labour, Konza Technopolis Development Authority, TVET Authority, and ICT Authority. The program also partners with key organizations such as Thunderbird School of Global Management and private sector job aggregators like Lish-AI. Jitume aims to provide a pathway for young Kenyans to participate in digitally-enabled jobs by overcoming existing barriers related to access to devices, skills, and opportunities.