Kisumu County officially threw open the doors to a new era of digital learning today, with the launch of the Katito VTC Digital Community Hub. The centre, a state-of-the-art digital library, is the cornerstone of the County push to transform vocational training into a powerhouse of innovation and digital readiness.
The vision for this ambitious project was articulated by Kisumu Deputy Governor Dr. Mathew Owili, who affirmed the County commitment to equipping its youth for the modern economy.
“Our administration is investing in a future powered by skills, innovation, and digital readiness across our Vocational Training Centres,” Dr. Owili stated. “We are creating the foundation for our young people to not just participate in the digital economy, but to lead it.”
The launch was the highlight of a day dedicated to digital empowerment across the county, with the new Katito VTC Digital Community Hub, a fully fledged digital library developed and equipped in partnership with the Stanbic Bank Foundation and American Tower Corporation (ATC) Kenya) under the Digital Inclusive Program. Katito, Ahero, and Akado VTCs are leading this vital pilot phase, with ten VTCs selected overall, demonstrating the rapid deployment of the Digital Inclusive Program showcasing the breadth of the digital initiative across Kisumu County.
In the Early Morning, the momentum began with the Stanbic Branch Manager officially handing over new laptops to the Kisumu County Library. This transfer marked a crucial boost to general public access and community digital literacy efforts, thereby reinforcing the library’s role as a central community resource.
Throughout the day, the momentum continued as the Stanbic Branch Manager proceeded to officially hand over additional laptops to the Vocational Training Centres leading the pilot phase. These handovers included both Ahero VTC and Akado VTC, solidifying their positions as key institutions in the digital community hub project. The donation was received by the CECM for Education, TVET, and Social Protection, Hon. John Awiti, underscoring the County Government’s commitment to expanding opportunities through digital inclusion.
This deliberate handover of laptops throughout the day underscored the partners strategic commitment to supporting both formal training institutions (VTCs) and wider community access hubs (libraries) with the pilot phase designed to test and refine the deployment strategy led by Katito, Ahero, and Akado VTCs.
The Katito VTC Digital Community Hub is the first fully operational facility, developed and equipped as part of the broader program. The Hub will serve as a model for the full initiative, which has already selected ten VTCs across the county to join.
The success of this initiative is profoundly rooted in the collaborative spirit of the partners as County Government extend its sincere gratitude to the private sector leaders including, Polycarp Odhiambo of ATC Kenya and Doreen Nalo of the Stanbic Bank Foundation for the effort in driving the vision.
Among the county officials in attendance, affirming the multi-sectoral support for the program, were Hon. Kennedy Ajwang, Hon. Rashid Miruka, and Chief Officer for Education Bovince Ochieng.
By transforming VTCs into Digital Community Hubs, Kisumu is not just distributing technology; it is strategically engineering its transition toward a robust, skilled, and digitally-empowered future.
