By Maureen Bett

From January to March, 497 applicants from the counties of Kisumu (Kisumu YMCA hub), Mombasa (Kenya Coast National Polytechnic hub), Kiambu (Kiambu National Polytechnic hub) and Nairobi (USIU-Africa hub) underwent training that will empower them to build a career in the creative sector. They were trained on Digital Marketing and Personal Branding, Legal and Ethical Issues, Life and Soft Skills, Business Registration, Entrepreneurial Mindset, Gender and Sexual Harassment and Social Media Analytics.

In June 2024, the beneficiaries started mentorship sessions in their different hubs of training. Suitable and knowledgeable mentors were recruited by the team from Across to guide the beneficiaries and give them industry knowledge and experience. The mentors are based in their respective counties, which is instrumental in guiding the beneficiaries based on those counties. This mentorship process will run for three months and will culminate in events organized by the beneficiaries in their respective hubs in August. These events will bring together mentors and will showcase the skills and talents developed during the program and foster a sense of community and teamwork among the participants.

A virtual session was held to officially kick-off the mentorship phase which provided an overview of the mentorship program, introduced the mentors, outlined the expectations and goals for the upcoming months. These workshops are designed to deepen the mentees' understanding of the creative industry, focusing on practical skills, industry trends, and personal development.

The CO-CARE Program continues to make significant strides in empowering young creatives across Kenya, providing them with the necessary skills and mentorship to thrive in the creative sector.