President William Ruto has given a Sh163 million cheque to help 816 young Kenyans travel overseas for work under the government’s Kazi Majuu programme.

Speaking in Kakamega on Tuesday during International Youth Day celebrations, the President said the money will pay for air tickets, visas, and settlement costs, ensuring the beneficiaries get safe and decent jobs abroad.

“The single most decisive force that will shape Kenya’s destiny is not oil, gold, or any other natural resource — it is our youth,” Ruto said. “They are the builders of today, the architects of our future, and the driving engine powering Kenya’s rise to greatness.”

The government says the Kazi Majuu programme is part of a wider labour mobility plan that has already enabled 420,000 young Kenyans to secure jobs overseas in the past two and a half years.

Through the Uwezo Fund, 225 youth have so far been supported to travel abroad. The Youth Enterprise Development Fund has also given Sh244 million to 2,271 young people for job readiness and pre-departure training.

President Ruto also outlined other government programmes creating jobs for the youth, including expanding Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), the Affordable Housing Programme, the Climate WorX initiative, the Kandarasi Mtaani project, and digital economy opportunities.

TVET enrolment has grown from 180,000 students in 2018 to more than 700,000, with a target of two million by the end of 2025. In housing, 161,000 units are currently under construction, employing 320,000 people — a number expected to double in the next two months.

The Climate WorX programme has 45,000 young people working on environmental restoration and urban upgrades, with plans to increase to 113,000. The Kandarasi Mtaani project will add 200,000 jobs in housing and market developments.

The President also highlighted the Hustler Fund, which has disbursed Sh72 billion to 26 million Kenyans, with five million improving their credit scores. The government has also expanded digital infrastructure, laying 24,000km of fibre, setting up 1,494 public Wi-Fi hotspots, and building hundreds of digital hubs linking nearly 300,000 youth to online work.

“Every year, nearly 800,000 young Kenyans enter the labour market,” Ruto said. “We are determined not only to create jobs but also to equip them with future-ready skills to thrive in the economy of the 21st century.”