The Ministry of Youth Affairs Arts and Sports and Trace Eastern Africa Limited have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to cooperate in youth development.

The objective of this MOU is to establish a framework for cooperation between the Parties in the field of youth development to provide platforms that equip the youth with the requisite skills and knowledge in the creative industry, enabling them to become competitive in the job market.

The partnership aims to promote and maintain the existing relationship between the two Parties, recognizing the importance of sharing available resources in the two institutions.

The transformative power of delivering programs that empower the youth with practical work and life skills, and enabling them to be easily absorbed into mainstream economic activities was also acknowledged.

Under the MOU, the Ministry and Trace will collaborate to provide opportunities for the youth to get the requisite skills and knowledge, specifically in the creative sector, equipping them to become competitive in the job market.

The Parties will not be compelled to work exclusively for or with the other under this MOU.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs, The Arts and Sports Ababu Namwamba praised the partnership as a significant step towards empowering the youth and creating an enabling environment to nurture and empower the youth in Kenya.

“The agreement will start with the first cohort of 15 top talents who will benefit from scholarship in form of training, progressing them through the recording conveyor belt and unleashing them to the world, once ready, through the TRACE platforms.” He said

He also spoke to the opportunity that Trace, as a global company, presents to the creative industry through distribution of Kenyan music through all its clusters and enabling artistes earn royalties from those countries.

On his part, the Managing Director, Trace Eastern Africa, Mr. Danny Mucira expressed the company's commitment to providing technical support and capacity building of the Ministry staff where needed.

"We are going to be able to look at how we use Music to drive inclusivity for young people by creating a platform where we discover talent, expose talent internationally and enable them to commercialize their creativity in markets beyond Kenya and East Africa."

“Our commitment is to provide and input content with a Kenyan perspective dynamic that empowers our young people with skills that enable them to succeed, stand up and shine, not only in Kenya but also from a global economic perspective," he added.

He also reiterated that Trace would provide necessary liaison, allocate staff time, create awareness, coordinate cross-ministry efforts, provide skill absorption opportunities, and provide necessary training through its Trace Academia free online application to ensure the goal of this MOU is achieved.