2Jiajiri
Launched in 2016, 2Jiajiri is our youth empowerment and job creation program that equips out-of-school youth and women with technical vocational skills in key sectors such as: agribusiness, construction, automotive engineering, beauty & personal care, and ICT. Our objective is to empower and equip unemployed and out-of-school youth to grow micro enterprises by providing them with technical skill training opportunities.
We also up-skill and certify existing micro-enterprises who wish to move their business from the informal to the formal sector Through accredited institutions, participants receive hands-on training, financial literacy, business development support, mentorship, and access to startup kits and financing. The goal is to help them establish sustainable enterprises or transition into gainful employment. Since inception, over 35,000 youth have been trained and more than 150,000 jobs created. Through KCB Bank, we have disbursed over Ksh. 1.6 Billion as capital to the qualified participants.
Economic projections suggest that East African economies are on the cusp of significant growth over the next few decades. This momentum will be fueled, in large part, by a highly skilled workforce and improved access to capital. Two demographic groups are central to this transformation: the youth—who represent the largest share of the population—and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which drive much of the region’s economic activity.
Yet both groups face persistent barriers. Youth across the region continue to experience high levels of unemployment and underemployment, often due to a disconnect between the skills they acquire and those demanded by the market. Many are out of school and lack access to practical, industry-aligned training. Meanwhile, MSMEs—despite their potential to stimulate innovation and create jobs—struggle with limited capital, inadequate business support, and weak integration into formal economic structures.
A stark example of this mismatch is evident in the blue-collar sector. Trades such as plumbing, electrical work, and automotive mechanics suffer chronic talent shortages, even as large numbers of young people remain without work. This paradox highlights the urgent need for holistic interventions that align training with opportunity—empowering both youth and MSMEs to become engines of inclusive, sustainable growth.
Launched in 2016, 2Jiajiri empowers unemployed and out-of-school youth by equipping them with technical skills, entrepreneurship training, and access to capital. Our model includes:
We also run focused initiatives under 2Jiajiri such as DigiFlame, a gender-lens digital finance product for low-income women, and work closely with county governments, development partners, and industry associations.
Our Impact:
