PARIS, France — The French police made a significant breakthrough in the fight against drug trafficking in 2023, with over 36,000 arrests reported. This announcement was made by French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin during an interview on BFMTV.
According to the Burkina Information Agency, 2023 marked a ‘record year’ in the war against drugs, with a total of 36,329 drug traffickers apprehended across France. The minister credited the police, gendarmes, and other ministry services for their relentless efforts in combating drug-related crimes. He further noted that since his appointment as the Minister of the Interior three years ago, significant progress had been made, including the identification and disruption of 4,000 drug dealing points, with 1,000 of them being effectively dismantled.
NYERI – The Ajira empowerment centres, a government initiative in Kenya, have become a beacon of hope for many young people in Nyeri, Murang’a, and Kirinyaga counties. These centres offer a pathway to employment for youths who have completed their college or university studies.
According to Kenya News Agency, Hellen Kimindiri, the Ajira Programme has significantly impacted the lives of the region’s youth. In the past year alone, 112 young people from Nyeri, Murang’a, and Kirinyaga have been trained to work and earn through online jobs. Speaking at the Kamacharia empowerment centre in Mathioya sub-county, Murang’a, Kimindiri highlighted the government’s contribution through the Ministry of Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy in equipping these centres with necessary tools like desktops, laptops, and internet access.
Kimindiri elaborated that the centres not only provide equipment but also encourage young people to bring their laptops to utilize the available internet for online jobs. The training at these centres covers basic and advanced computer literacy modules, including areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and programming. Over three years, more than 16,000 youths have benefitted from this training across the larger central region of Kenya.
Emphasizing the importance of this initiative, Hellen urged youths to join the programme, highlighting its role in helping them avoid pitfalls like drugs, alcoholism, and crime. Olive Njogu, the manager of Kamacharia Ajira Empowerment Centre, added that her centre trained 460 youths in the last three months. The training encompasses various digital skills such as digital marketing, transcription, data entry, and virtual assistance.
Njogu also mentioned the formation of a group by trainees, which assists in creating and uploading content like dancing and skits on digital platforms, generating income for the participants. One of the beneficiaries, Mary Maina, shared her success story, noting that she now earns a steady income from various online jobs after training at the centre. Maina encouraged other young people to explore digital opportunities, citing the potential to earn more than 10 US dollars per hour with experience in online work.
This program presents a significant shift in addressing the employment challenges faced by youths in Kenya, tapping into the vast potential of the digital economy.