Story:
Institutional Partnership Supporting a Gender- and Industry-Responsive Blue Economy in Kisumu County
Institutional Partnership Supporting a Gender- and Industry-Responsive Blue Economy in Kisumu County
About this Project
Country:
Kenya
Project Type:
Program Development, Institutional Strengthening, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Capacity Building
Sector:
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), Organizational Development
Delivery Format:
In-Person and Virtual
Partners:
The Kisumu National Polytechnic (TKNP); Marine Institute; Seneca Polytechnic; Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan); Global Affairs Canada (GAC)
Project Year & Length:
2024-2027; four years
The Opportunity
- Kenya has immense potential in its marine resources and is committed to harnessing them responsibly.
- Transformation of the social and economic landscape is envisaged in Kenya’s development blueprint.
- Blue Economy (BE) supports the ways oceans and lakes contribute to an economy in a sustainable way. For Kenya, this project presents the support of the government’s vision of making the BE a key driver of economic growth and sustainable development with using ocean resources for economic growth, livelihoods and jobs, and ocean ecosystem health.
- In the Lake Victoria Region, specifically in Kisumu County, the subsectors of focus are Hospitality and Tourism, Fishing, and Aquaculture, as well as Trade. Entrepreneurship and soft skills are essential within the labour market in Kisumu County, across both Aquaculture and Tourism subsectors.
- These subsectors provide strong opportunities for labour market transition, placements and internships, and opportunities for enrolment into the aquaculture, tour guide, and culinary arts courses at TKNP.
- Through the Kenya Blue Economy Skills Training (KBEST) Program, the institutional partnership with TKNP will be one of the two hub institutions which will play an instrumental role in shaping the delivery of training at the county cluster institutions.
Our Approach
- Focusing on building institutional and human resource capacities at TKNP to increase the institution’s ability to support students and the local community, as well as building on TKNP’s stakeholders’ partnerships.
- Determining and addressing needs around curriculum development and adaptation for the BE programs.
- Exploring industry linkages for further partnership development for internship, attachment and placement opportunities, and applied research and commercialization partnerships.
- Engaging community and industry, while supporting vulnerable groups, through gender equality and inclusion activities, career services, as well as supporting students and graduates with the transition to the labour market.
- Continuing mentorship relationship with TKNP’s Gender Mainstreaming Committee (GMC) that was established with NC’s technical expert in gender equality.
- Facilitating exposure visits for staff from Kenya partner TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) institutions.
- Exploring capacity building training opportunities with:
- Virtual and recorded sessions.
- Train-the-Trainer sessions.
- Mentorship for project outputs and activities.
Partner Outcomes and Success
- Develop three industry- and gender-responsive courses, based on the region’s economic potential, in the following BE subsectors:
- Aquaculture or Fisheries
- Tour Guide
- Food and Beverage Operations
- Support the establishment of a Business Incubation Centre as a career guidance service to assist students and graduates in obtaining entrepreneurial knowledge and skills to start their own business. The Business Incubation Centre would offer entrepreneurial resources, such as training, business planning tools, mentorship from TKNP staff and local industry members.
- Support to update TKNP’s Applied Research Centre along with establishing the Commercialization Centre through the delivery of capacity building sessions, covering topics such as applied research and innovation, and industry engagement, amongst others.
- Implementing gender equality across the BE programs and institution, through activities such as:
- Facilitating gender-responsive marketing and outreach activities for the BE programs developed and adapted.
- Supporting GMCs at TKNP.
- Providing support with the key priorities and activities identified through TKNP’s Gender Action Plan.
- Contributing to the development and review of referral procedures for gender equality and gender safeguarding, in collaboration with GMC members.
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