At least 3,500 young people in Garissa County have benefitted from a week-long training program on character building, skills development and community service aimed at moulding them into responsible citizens.

The program, implemented by the President's Award Kenya (PAK), is targeting young people aged between 14 and 24, drawn from the Junior Secondary Schools (JSS), Secondary schools, training colleges and universities.

More than 138,000 young Kenyans are currently enrolled in the award scheme, with the programme targeting a million youth in the next five years.

Christine Chacha, a project coordinator with PAK, said the program will also inspire the young people to take up leadership roles, create an environment for their ideas to flourish and make their voices to be heard, hence fostering a sense of belonging among the youth. "We encourage them to pursue skills of their choice and take up community service programs and participate in sporting activities to keep them physically fit," Chacha said. "This program teaches our young people to be responsible citizens and also the skills they learn in the process can be used to generate income or increase their chances of employability.