NAIROBI, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The afternoon light filters through the window, casting a warm glow over Cosmas Koech's workstation in Taptengelei, Nandi County, northwestern Kenya. He rises from his desk and adjusts the curtain to shield his eyes -- an essential precaution for an online worker who spends hours in front of a computer screen.
"I work about seven hours every day doing surveys, transcription, and design work," Koech said. "I complete up to six assignments daily."
Koech is among thousands of Kenyan youths earning a livelihood online after undergoing government-backed digital skills training. The initiative, implemented in technical training institutes, equips young people with the ability to generate income during and after their studies, addressing the country's high youth unemployment rate.
Through the program, Koech has gained digital skills in keyboarding, research techniques, graphic design, and artificial intelligence.
"I earn up to 20,000 shillings (about 154 U.S. dollars) a month from online jobs. This covers all my basic needs, including school fees," said Koech, a student at Tinderet Integrated Technical and Trainers College (TITTC).
To balance school and work, he completes online tasks in the early morning and late evening, dedicating full-time hours during school holidays.
According to John Kipkoech, principal of TITTC, the training is designed to nurture young talent and equip students with hands-on skills in various digital fields, preparing them for careers in the evolving digital economy.
Beyond training, the college, with government support, offers diploma and certificate programs in information and communications technology (ICT) and provides free Wi-Fi to students and community members within a two-km radius.
"Anyone with a laptop or smartphone can access the internet, enabling even non-students to tap into digital opportunities," he said.
Caroly Kiplimo, 20, another Kenyan youth, works as a freelancer, earning at least two dollars daily. "I do online surveys and data jobs. Once I complete and upload a task, I get paid after approval. Payments are made weekly," he said.
To boost his earnings, Kiplimo is training in online writing and transcription as he nears graduation.
Kenya's Principal Secretary for ICT and Digital Economy John Tanui said in a recent interview that the government has so far trained over 500,000 youths in digital skills, with 152,711 securing online jobs.
The government's broader goal, he noted, is to foster innovation, drive sustainable growth, and strengthen Kenya's digital economy.
According to Tanui, to accelerate training, Kenya has established 274 digital hubs nationwide, with a target of 1,450. Set up mainly in technical colleges, these hubs equip young people with digital expertise, enabling them to secure jobs and conduct online businesses.
Kenya's Ministry of ICT said that each digital hub has the capacity to train 300 youths and create an equivalent number of digital jobs.
The initiative is part of efforts to combat youth unemployment, which now stands at 31 percent, according to the Kenya Institute of Public Policy Research and Analysis.
Kenya's digital economy is expanding rapidly, transforming sectors such as finance, education, transport, and sports. Beyond design, writing, transcription, and surveys, other popular online income streams, such as forex trading, have gained traction, while content creation on platforms like TikTok is also becoming a lucrative avenue for many.
The Kenya National Digital Master Plan 2022-2032, aligned with the country's Vision 2030, projects that the digital economy will contribute 10 percent to the gross domestic product by the end of the decade.
