Nairobi — Thousands of young digital content creators will be linked with direct job opportunities through the Twende Digital Project.

The Challenge Fund for Youth Employment (CFYE) will support the initiative, which is a collaboration between Twiva and the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA).

It will also help SMEs adopt technology through intensive capacity building and technical assistance on the use of digital skills and platforms in Nairobi, Nakuru, Kisumu, and Mombasa, among others.

Selected businesses will enjoy digitization services and tools for free for the next 12 months, including influencer marketing service credits, content creation credits, access to business digital coaches, and access to influencers or resellers to help resell the SMEs' goods.

"We have also learned that it is very crucial to support the private sector, especially in measuring the impact of youth employment initiatives," said Paul Ngugi, Deputy Country Lead of the Challenge Fund for Youth Employment.

"This is why digitizing the SMEs will not only help expand these businesses but also ensure the creation of jobs."

Minimal job opportunities have been a huge challenge for Kenya, with reports showing that over 2.97 million Kenyans are jobless. Out of these, 50 percent are between the ages of 18 and 29.

"Enterprises stand to have a great chance of unlocking the wealth of opportunities and building a global competitive advantage through adoption and prioritizing digitization," Ehud Gachugu, Director of Youth and Jobs at KEPSA.

"As the benefits of digitization become clearer for businesses where they stand to benefit from access to wider markets, more efficient processes, increased productivity, better stock management, and reduced costs; hence the adoption of digitization cannot be ignored."