Government Takes Overseas Job Opportunities to Youth in Meru

Kenya is expanding access to overseas employment in rural communities, with Diaspora Affairs Principal Secretary Roseline Njogu leading grassroots engagements in Meru County under the government’s Diaspora Mashinani initiative.

During visits to Kiringo, Muruguma and Maitei villages, Njogu encouraged young people to prepare for international labour markets and highlighted the government’s Kazi Majuu programme, which connects Kenyan workers with verified employment opportunities abroad. She said overseas employment can support individual advancement while contributing to Kenya’s wider economic diplomacy efforts.

The meetings also provided residents with an opportunity to raise concerns about local development priorities. Njogu engaged community leaders, women and young people on projects being implemented under the current administration. The focus on Kazi Majuu, however, highlighted the government’s efforts to include rural communities in its diaspora programmes.

Kenya has identified the diaspora as an important part of its economic policy. Remittances, skills transfer and international networks contribute to the country’s economic growth. By taking information about overseas employment directly to villages, the State Department for Diaspora Affairs is seeking to improve access to these opportunities among rural populations.

The Meru engagements form part of a wider effort to take diaspora-related programmes beyond major urban centres and into local communities. The approach places greater emphasis on direct engagement with citizens and on ensuring that labour migration opportunities are accessible to a wider section of the population.