The Mountain Journal
editor@themountainjournal.co.ke
A Chief in Mathioya has been engaging the youth in his location in a strategy to reduce crime and other antisocial behaviours.
David Waiganjo, has managed to transform the young in his Gitugi location through regular engagement.
Waiganjo is a role model to the youth who serves the residents between 8am to 2pm before changing his attire and dresses in a youth friendly manner.
Mwangi Karuri says the chief over the years has managed to engage the youth as change of attire helps him to freely engage.
“ The chief is like no other in Murang’a and has managed to interact with the youth who should be protected from indulging in alcoholism and substance abuse,”said Karuri, a resident of Gitugi market.
The chief upon realizing that many youths in his area engaged in petty theft resolved to empower them to save them from continued anti-social behaviours.
In January, Waiganjo started training youths to do engraving to support youths and solve a pesky challenge that plagues many locals. The challenge of losing personal items.
Waiganjo said records from the local police post indicate that at least 10 people lose their identity cards every month, which replacement cost Sh1,000.
Waiganjo said many locals are forced to go for long without the crucial document, with many benefiting from the project, adding that those who left school recently and are yet to secure jobs.
“I thought if we found a way to engrave people’s mobile phone numbers of their keys and identity card holders, it’d be easier to trace them if they lost them”.
Many boda boda guys are forced to break padlocks in their homes after losing keys as they go about their businesses.
“Even wallets that contain documents such as ATMs, can now be found by owners if they get lost”.
The chief said the training only requires a number punch and a hammer which are then used to punch numbers onto the holders.
Since he started, the chief has been able to train about 70 youths, many of whom have started earning a living from the art.
“I have been a serious crusader of the bottom up economic agenda because empowering the low cadre Kenyans, to me, is very crucial. They won’t engage in crime if they are empowered”.
The location, he noted, has had cases of petty crimes as jobless youths struggle to support themselves.
He said one of the youths has since put up a stall at Gitugi shopping centre while others have been going round the villages looking for clients.
But the chief noted that the main challenge the youths face is the Sh5,000 required to get a number punch and a hammer.
“If they can get help in procuring these equipment, they’d be able to earn some money and become productive members of society. We can help these youths form a group and start making a living”.
Further, the chief provides tea and snacks to the youths during the training, all from his pocket.
Jackson Kimathi, one of the beneficiaries said he takes home up to Sh400 on a good day while the amount can go as low as Sh100 on a bad day.
However it goes, Kimathi said the art motivates him to go out of his way to look for clients and keeps him busy.
“This job sustains me. It gives me money to buy airtime, feed and cloth myself instead of depending on parents”.
Peter Munene, another beneficiary, said he had stayed for three years without a job when he started training in January.
Munene charges Sh100 per client saying he makes up to Sh500 daily which is enough to sustain him.
“I only do this work later in the day after helping my parents at home. I’m grateful to the chief because he supported me even in acquiring the engraving equipment. I had an amount and he topped it up”.
Godffrey Mwangi, resident, said they were happy that the chief had started the project that he said will reduce the number of youths idling in the villages and help them become independent.
