Equip Program

Skills For Life and Work

Equip is EmpServe’s training program designed to close the gap between education and real-world opportunities. Too often, young people leave school with certificates but without the practical skills employers or communities demand. Equip steps in to change that story.

We deliver hands-on, future-oriented training that covers ICT, entrepreneurship, and life skills — all grounded in the realities of young people’s communities. Training isn’t just about software and coding; it’s about confidence, communication, emotional intelligence, and financial know-how. By combining technical know-how with personal growth, Equip ensures that youth don’t just survive in the digital economy — they thrive.

What Makes Equip Diffferent

Equip is holistic and community-based. It treats youth as whole human beings, not just job seekers. Training is designed to fit local realities — from rural villages to peri-urban settlements — and is facilitated in inclusive, accessible ways. Many facilitators are alumni themselves, proof that young people don’t just learn in Equip; they return to lead.

KEY APPROACHES UNDER THE PROGRAM

  • ICT and digital literacy for employability 
  • Life skills coaching -goal setting, leadership, emotional intelligence, critical decision-making.
  • Entrepreneurship & financial literacy — helping youth design viable business ideas and manage income sustainably.
  • Community learning hubs and mobile labs — bringing laptops, internet, and trainers to villages that traditional institutions overlook.
  • Mentorship pipelines — pairing alumni and professionals with new learners for guidance, encouragement, and real-world advice.

Impact Snapshot

1500

youth from urban marginalized communities of Mathare, Huruma, Kariobangi and Dandora have accessed digital literacy training.

70%

of participants transitioned to jobs and entreprenuership pathways
 

14

cohorts trained in Basic and Advanced ICT

Projects Under This Program

Social Innovation Hub- Pangani

Serving Nairobi’s informal settlements (Mathare, Dandora, Huruma, Kariobangi), this urban hub focuses on youth and girls (16–24 yrs).

  • Intensive 3–6 month bootcamps in ICT & social entrepreneurship
  • Cohorts design solutions for real challenges in their neighborhoods
  • 60%+ of participants transition into jobs or launch ventures

Digilabs Project

Digilabs are digital resource hubs positioned at the last mile, focusing especially on young women. They work to break down socioeconomic barriers that limit access to ICT careers.

  • Offer activation workshops, business development training, and mentorship
  • Alumni with promising ideas access DigiFund — a seed fund for social enterprise
  • One Digilab is hosted at HELGA, a girls’ rights org in Kajiado, fully equipped with computers, internet, and training spaces

SILC (Social Innovation & Learning Center)

Located in Kajiado County, this center integrates digital skills training with livelihood creation and eco-practices. It houses:

  • Training zones, production hubs, demo farms
  • A digital library, community spaces, and facilitation areas
  • Partnerships focused on SGBV survivor support and social enterprise incubation

Help us Build the Future

We believe in the power of youth to transform their communities and our shared future. 

Support our work to equip young people with the skills, opportunities, and networks they need to lead lasting change.

Donate