Mr. Kamlesh Shah, Managing Director, Dura Coat, Basco Products (Kenya Limited) in his office in Embakasi, Nairobi.
Some 14 young people from the informal settlements of Kibera, Githogoro in Nairobi and Athi River in Mavoko, Kenya have benefitted from a painting skills training in economic water and oil paints.
The training has been made possible thanks to collaboration between UN-HABITAT Youth Empowerment Programme and paint maker Dura Coat of the Basco Products Kenya Limited.
Mr. Kamlesh Shah, the Managing Director of Dura Coat said a survey conducted by the company indicated that there was an existing gap between paint manufacturers and end users. This prompted the company to develop an intensive training programme that would enhance the capacity of service providers to deliver marketable products since bad painting leads to bad workmanship. The programme will also improve the skills and knowledge base of painters in providing quality service. The training package included theoretical and practical sessions in both ordinary and extra ordinary paints, he said.
Upon the completion of the one week training at the Dura Coat Training Centre, successful trainees will be awarded certificates and their contacts maintained in the company data base for job opportunities by the company clients.
The UN-HABITAT Youth Empowerment Programme Coordinator UN-HABITAT said the partnership will strengthen the organization’s existing work in empowering young people from informal settlements with construction skills and improve their employability and livelihood.
Launched in June 2008, by Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka, UN-HABITAT’s Executive Director, the Youth Empowerment Programme in Kenya has trained over 400 young people from informal settlements in construction skills including the production and use of low cost Interlocking stabilized blocks like Hydraform, Makiga and Habitat blocks as well as other conventional vocational trainings in masonry, plumbing, carpentry, electrical and metal works. The youth in the programme have also been trained in leadership, cooperative development, entrepreneurship and business development skills aimed at meeting the programme’s overall goal to support young people to form small business entities.
