President William Ruto presided over a transformative youth empowerment event at Garissa High School Grounds on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, where 7,500 young entrepreneurs from Garissa County received startup capital totaling 350 million shillings under the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Project.

The NYOTA Project is providing crucial financial support to young business owners like Omar Abdi, a small-scale milk vendor from Balambala Constituency.

Abdi sources milk from livestock keepers in Saka Ward at KSh35 per litre and supplies it to Garissa Town residents at KSh50 per litre, earning a profit margin of KSh15 on each litre sold.

With the KSh. 50,000 capital injection grant, Abdi plans to scale up his operations, create employment opportunities for fellow young people, and establish a sustainable savings plan for his future.

The ambitious NYOTA initiative targets 820,000 young Kenyans between the ages of 18 and 29 years across the country.

Through its business support component, 121,000 young entrepreneurs from all 47 counties are each receiving KSh. 50,000 to strengthen and expand their enterprises.

This financial boost aims to foster job creation, generate income opportunities, and promote a culture of saving among Kenya’s youth.

Beyond startup capital, an additional 700,000 young people will access other vital program components designed to enhance their employability and career prospects.

These include Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) certification, On the Job Training (OJE) opportunities, expanded employment pathways through mentorship programs, and comprehensive strengthening of youth employment systems nationwide.

The NYOTA Project represents a significant step toward economic transformation driven by empowered young entrepreneurs contributing meaningfully to Kenya’s development.