NAIROBI — The Ministry of Labour and Social Development in Kenya has introduced a new initiative aimed at providing secure employment opportunities abroad for its youth, launching an employment portal with 300,000 job listings.

According to Kenya News Agency, the Principal Secretary for Labour and Skills Development, the National Employment Authority portal now features job opportunities managed by private recruitment agencies. This announcement came during a tree planting event at Taita Taveta University, where Mwadime addressed the significant strides in transparency and accessibility in the employment sector made by the Ministry. Over 5,000 tree seedlings were planted as part of the event.

Mwadime addressed the challenge of overcoming the mistrust among young Kenyans towards overseas job offers, which are often perceived as scams due to previous incidents involving fraudulent schemes. He detailed the government’s efforts to ensure organized and secure labour migration, including stringent vetting processes that have reduced the number of overseas employment agencies. He noted that about 500 vetted agencies are currently operational, down from around 1,000.

The portal’s system is designed to guide potential job seekers effectively, with Mwadime explaining that agencies in question are marked in red to warn users, while those in compliance are marked in black, indicating they are safe to engage with.

Furthermore, Mwadime emphasized that the government’s strategy focuses on temporary rather than permanent migration, with the goal of having returning workers invest their earnings in the local economy. This strategy is likened to exporting traditional goods such as tea and coffee, viewing the skilled Kenyan workforce as a valuable economic asset.