TAITATAVETA: YOUTHS TO BENEFIT FROM LEATHER INDUSTRY TRAINING
Story by David Moto
20 Youths drawn from Mwatate sub county have undergone training in hides and skin tanning, a move aimed at empowering them produce different types of leather products courtesy of a partnership between the county government of Taita Taveta and the Taita Taveta Wildlife Conservancies Association (TTWCA), to promote leather value addition.
According to the county department of livestock production led by CECM Erickson Kyongo, the county is keen to support youths towards ensuring opportunities in the leather industry are fully exploited.
“H.E the governor is keen to ensure the county has industries that can provide employment opportunities for the youth, and the leather processing facilities like this one have great potential to create jobs” Kyongo noted.
Mr. Francis Wainana, under the auspies of the African Leather and Leather Products Institute (ALLPI), a master trainer in the two-week activity acknowledged the zeal shown by the targeted youth, saying this will promote efforts by governor Wakujaa to have youths integrated in government initiatives aimed at promoting self-employability.
The youth requested the county government to establish a mini-tannery within the county to ensure all the hides and skins being produced within the county are processed into leather products.
“There is great potential in the county for finished leather products, including the safety boots for wildlife rangers, traditional baskets toppings, leather gloves for sisal harvesting, among others leather articles.” they noted.
The 20 youths will be under further training to produce different leather articles in the next 1 month, and they will be linked to different markets when leather products are in high demand.
