The Turkana County Government is exploring a partnership with iamtheCODE to expand digital learning opportunities, strengthen technology skills and improve employment prospects for young people.
The proposed collaboration aims to build on the organisation's work in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kalobeyei Settlement and the host community, with plans to explore opportunities for expanding digital education to other parts of Turkana.
iamtheCODE promotes digital literacy, coding and social skills among girls and young women through initiatives that include online learning, mentorship, school-based coding programmes and partnerships with local institutions.
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The proposed collaboration would help equip young people with practical technology skills, including coding in HTML, Java and Python.
Deputy Governor Dr John Erus welcomed the engagement and commended iamtheCODE for investing in opportunities that empower young people through education and skills development.
Erus committed to further discussions with relevant stakeholders, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), to identify practical areas of collaboration.
He said the county was working to strengthen livelihoods, build resilience to climate-related challenges and support the transition of refugees towards greater self-reliance.
“Our vision is to translate livelihoods to deal with the stresses and shocks of climate change. We are inviting all development partners and the national government as we transition refugees to self reliance by approximately 50% in 2035. We're also working on our wealth creation and poverty reduction strategy specifically aligning human and skills to get dignified employment,” Erus said.
iamtheCODE Chief Executive Officer Lady Marieme Jamme highlighted the importance of increasing girls' participation in technology and ensuring underserved communities benefit from emerging digital opportunities.
She said the engagement could create opportunities for resource mobilisation, stronger school partnerships and integrated digital skills training to support education and youth empowerment.
The proposed initiatives are intended to strengthen access to technology learning while helping young people develop skills that may improve their future employment opportunities.
Raphael Logum, Director of Resource Mobilisation, Partnerships and Donor Coordination, said the proposed interventions should align with the county government's development priorities.
These include improving access to education, equipping young people with marketable skills and creating pathways to dignified employment.
The proposed partnership is expected to be formalised through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at a later date. The agreement would provide a framework for structured collaboration and implementation of the areas of cooperation agreed upon by the parties.
The meeting was attended by Magdalene Eris, an economist; Rose Chelia, Programmes Manager; Francis Kaguta, Training and Learning Officer; and Priscila Munya, Partnership and Engagement Officer at iamtheCODE.
The discussions mark an initial step towards potential cooperation between the county government and iamtheCODE to expand digital skills development and education opportunities across Turkana.
The proposed collaboration's implementation will depend on further consultations and the formalisation of the partnership.
