President William Ruto on Monday presided over the disbursement of KSh 220 million under the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Programme, benefiting over 8,800 young entrepreneurs from Kisumu, Siaya, and Homa Bay counties. The ceremony was held at Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium in Kisumu City.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, in a statement on X, highlighted that the initiative aims to empower youth across 105 wards—35 in Kisumu, 40 in Homa Bay, and 30 in Siaya—by providing them with startup capital to grow small businesses.
Each beneficiary received an initial grant of KSh 22,000, alongside KSh 3,000 deposited into a “Haba na Haba” savings account managed by the National Social Security Fund (NSSF).
Kindiki noted that the programme is structured in two phases to ensure sustained financial support and savings culture among young entrepreneurs.
“The second phase will see each participant receive an additional KSh 25,000—KSh 22,000 for capital growth and KSh 3,000 to boost savings—bringing the total support per entrepreneur to KSh 50,000,” said Kindiki.
The NYOTA Programme is part of the government’s broader youth empowerment agenda, targeting increased financial inclusion, entrepreneurship, and local economic growth.
By channeling funds through formal savings mechanisms like NSSF-managed accounts, the initiative also seeks to instill financial discipline among participants.