I&M Foundation and Moringa School have partnered to create job opportunities for young people in the digital space. The foundation has provided a grant of KES 6.25M to support Moringa School’s Access Program, which is designed to train young people between the ages of 18 and 35, with a third of the slots reserved for female students.
The partnership is aimed at addressing the high unemployment rate in Kenya, particularly among young people. According to a report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, the number of unemployed Kenyans rose to 2.97 million at the end of 2022, with more than half of them being between the ages of 20 and 29 years. The Access Program seeks to create job opportunities in the technology sector by training young people in software development.
Moringa School’s CEO, Snehar Shah, believes that education and skills development are critical in promoting innovation, which is essential for a digital revolution. However, many young people in Kenya lack opportunities for skills development. The partnership with I&M Foundation aims to empower young people who are passionate about technology and create opportunities for growth and development.
The Access Program offered by Moringa School is a 24-week boot camp that combines practical projects with relevant technologies and up-to-date course content. Students will receive training on employable skills and join a graduate support team that will actively support them in finding employment opportunities. The school has also partnered with iTalanta, a Kenyan-based organization that performs software development work for European SMEs, to provide students with real-life projects and experience.
I&M Foundation Trustee and Group Executive Director, I&M Group PLC, Mr. Sarit Raja Shah, noted that software development job opportunities are projected to increase globally by over 25%. The foundation sees the opportunity to enhance the education outcomes of underserved youth in Kenya to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education in digital technology. The foundation’s Education and Skills Development Pillar is focused on providing opportunities for young people to develop the skills they need to succeed in the digital economy.
In addition to the partnership on the Access Program, I&M Bank has been providing internship opportunities for students from Moringa School at the bank’s Digital Factory, iCube. The bank plans to employ high-performing students graduating from this internship program to take up permanent roles in the financial institution.
