Kenyan tech graduates honored by collaboration between PLP and Safaricom during Tech Cohort celebration
In a significant stride towards bridging the digital skills gap in Kenya, the Power Learn Project Africa (PLP) and Safaricom's Hook Tech Cohort have launched a collaborative tech training initiative. The programme, which graduated over 300 young Kenyans after a 16-week intensive training in software development and digital competencies, is aimed at equipping the youth with essential skills for the digital economy [4].
The objectives of this initiative are multifaceted. Primarily, it seeks to bridge the digital skills gap in Kenya by providing affordable, accessible, and high-quality tech education. Moreover, it aims to empower youth to become future tech leaders through hands-on training in software development and technology. The programme also promotes inclusive participation, including efforts to combat gender disparity in the African tech industry [1].
In addition to enhancing job readiness, the programme connects graduates with employment, freelance projects, and startup opportunities via platforms like the PLP Talent Hub [1]. This initiative also aims to facilitate scalable talent development to meet Africa's growing tech market needs, targeting the training of thousands of youth annually [1][2].
The impact of this programme on Kenya's digital transformation has been profound. Graduates from the PLP x Safaricom Hook Tech cohort have contributed to expanding Kenya’s digital talent pool, vital for the country’s innovation and technology ecosystem. The programme has empowered hundreds of youth to transition into tech careers, supporting Kenya's vision of becoming a regional digital technology hub [1].
Alumni startups and initiatives emerging from PLP, such as Payd, have gained recognition, winning innovation grants and contributing to Kenya's growing digital economy [1]. By addressing skill shortages, PLP x Safaricom Hook helps foster inclusive economic empowerment and drives the adoption of digital solutions across sectors, accelerating Kenya’s overall digital transformation efforts.
The PLP x Safaricom Hook Tech Cohort, launched in October 2024, recruited youth from all 47 Kenyan counties. The programme included hackathons, mentorship sessions, and project-based learning, enabling participants to gain advanced digital skills in front-end and back-end software development [1].
Safaricom's partnership with PLP is not just about training coders, but nurturing thinkers, builders, and creators. Fawzia, Safaricom's Director of Corporate Affairs, stated that Safaricom's mission is to not just connect people, but to unlock the potential of Kenya's youth by enabling them to lead in the digital economy.
Young people on the continent are acquiring the right digital skills, and PLP invites corporations, startups, development partners, and government institutions to collaborate in creating more pathways for youth. The partnership between PLP and Safaricom Hook has resulted in a national investment paying off, as the programme aims to prepare participants for the future of work in the digital economy.
The PLP Talent Hub connects graduates to curated job and internship opportunities, freelance gigs, and entrepreneurial support. PLP envisions a future where every young African has equal access to digital skills, dignified livelihoods, and the ability to innovate from wherever they are. Africa has a deployment problem, not a talent problem, and initiatives like the PLP x Safaricom Hook Tech Cohort are paving the way for a tech-powered workforce that defines Africa's future.
- The collaborative tech training initiative between Power Learn Project Africa (PLP) and Safaricom's Hook Tech Cohort aims to equip the youth with essential skills for the digital economy, promoting inclusive participation and combat gender disparity in the African tech industry.
- The programme, which consists of hackathons, mentorship sessions, and project-based learning, recruited youth from all 47 Kenyan counties, preparing them for advanced digital skills in front-end and back-end software development.
- By addressing skill shortages, the PLP x Safaricom Hook Tech Cohort fosters inclusive economic empowerment and drives the adoption of digital solutions across sectors, contributing to Kenya’s growing digital economy.
- Alumni startups and initiatives from PLP, such as Payd, have gained recognition, winning innovation grants and furthering innovation in Kenya's digital economy.
- In the spirit of collaboration, PLP invites corporations, startups, development partners, and government institutions to work together in creating more pathways for youth, striving towards a future where every young African has equal access to digital skills, dignified livelihoods, and the ability to innovate from wherever they are.
