Every year the government offers internship opportunities to thousands of youth who have graduated from various institutions to expose them to the workplace in a bid to gain hands-on experience.
Hillary Kipkosgei Ruto, who graduated in 2022 from Africa Nazarene University, where he trained as a teacher, got such an opportunity in a school in the neighbouring Uasin Gishu County in 2023.
While many of the youth would indulge using the cash either for entertainment or trending fashion, the 25-year-old youth from Kapteren village in Kamariny ward in Elgeyo Marakwet county knew he had to save every coin to enable him to start his own business. "I have always loved to do business because I know with discipline business pays and also it gives one the freedom as I am my own boss," said Ruto.
Ruto took advantage of the fact that he was working in a rural area and therefore there were fewer expenses, as both food and accommodation are affordable and saved every coin he could. "By the time I was done with the internship, I had saved some money, which I planned to use to start a business but by then I was not sure which business to start," he said.