KAKUMA, Kenya, July 2 – The International Labour Organization (ILO), in partnership with Power Learn Project Africa, Microsoft and the Turkana County Government, has launched a programme to equip refugee and host community youth with digital skills and pathways to employment.
Supported by the Government of the Netherlands under the PROSPECTS Partnership, the initiative will train 1,700 young people in Turkana and Garissa counties through a 25-week blended learning programme.
The programme will be delivered by Power Learn Project in collaboration with local digital hubs, community-based organisations, refugee-led organisations and other local partners. It will also provide up to 1,000 Microsoft certification vouchers, enabling participants to earn globally recognised digital credentials.
The initiative seeks to address Kenya’s growing demand for digital skills as the country’s digital economy is projected to contribute $5.1 billion to GDP by 2028, while youth unemployment remains high.
ILO Country Director for Tanzania, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda Caroline Khamati Mugalla said digital transformation is reshaping labour markets, making digital skills critical for young people in refugee-hosting communities.
“Digital transformation is reshaping labour markets at a pace that demands deliberate policy action. For young people in refugee-hosting communities, the risk is not simply being left behind—it is being excluded from opportunities that are increasingly defining economic participation across every sector,” Mugalla said.
“The ILO is committed to ensuring that technological change advances decent work, rights at work, and inclusive labour market participation.”
The training will be offered through two learning tracks. An intermediate level will focus on foundational digital and workplace skills, while the advanced track will cover high-demand fields such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence and data analytics, aligned with Microsoft certification pathways.
Microsoft Elevate AI Skills Director Winnie Karanu said the programme aims to expand access to digital and AI skills among underserved communities.
“Digital skills are the foundation for inclusive growth, but access remains uneven, particularly in underserved communities. Through initiatives such as these, we’re working to close that gap by connecting learners not just to training, but to globally recognised certification and real pathways into employment,” she said.
The programme also includes career readiness training, employer engagement and entrepreneurship support to help graduates transition into jobs, self-employment and remote work opportunities.
Power Learn Project Africa Co-Founder and Executive Director Mumbi Ndung’u said the initiative seeks to ensure Kenya’s digital transformation benefits all communities.
“Power Learn Project was founded on a simple but urgent belief: that talent is equally distributed, but opportunity is not,” Ndung’u said.
“This partnership allows us to bring digital opportunity closer to refugee and host community youth who have too often been excluded from the systems that shape the future of work. For us, this is about more than training. It is about dignity, economic agency, and ensuring that Kenya’s digital transformation is inclusive by design.”
