120 KDF Dependants Begin Skills Training to Boost Jobs
He said trainees needed practical competencies, confidence and discipline to enable them to compete effectively in the workplace and pursue self-employment.
Photo: Courtesy.
By Robert Mutasi
A total of 120 dependents of Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) personnel have begun technical training under a programme aimed at equipping military families with practical skills for employment and entrepreneurship.
The fifth cohort of the Tufuzu Construction Skills Training Programme was commissioned on Thursday, September 10, 2026, during a ceremony held at Terminus Hall, Embakasi Garrison.
The programme is run by the Military Wives Association of Kenya (MWAK) in partnership with Family Bank and Family Group Foundation, with support from the Defence Forces Technical College (DEFTEC) and Nairobi Institute of Technology (NIT).
Since its launch in 2023, the initiative has trained 339 KDF dependants through its first four cohorts. The latest intake brings the total number of beneficiaries to 459.
The fifth cohort comprises dependants drawn from the three KDF services and will receive technical training in plumbing, electrical installation and information and communication technology.
The trainees will undertake their studies under the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) competency-based curriculum, alongside financial literacy lessons designed to help them manage income and make informed business decisions.
The programme seeks to provide participants with practical competencies that can be applied directly in the workplace or used to establish income-generating ventures.
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, Moi Air Base Commander Brigadier Herbert Wafula commended MWAK and its partners for sustaining the programme and expanding its reach to more military families.
“We are not just training hands; we are shaping minds, building futures, and transforming our community and nation at large,” Wafula said.He encouraged the beneficiaries to approach their training with discipline, commitment and integrity, urging them to translate the skills acquired into practical opportunities after completing the programme.
The initiative is anchored on the belief that technical skills can provide an alternative pathway to employment at a time when many young people face challenges securing formal jobs.
MWAK Chairlady Grace Kahariri, whose remarks were delivered by Housing Pillar head Naomi Mwinyikai, challenged the trainees to make maximum use of the opportunity and use their skills to strengthen the economic wellbeing of their families.
Kahariri described the growth of the programme from its first cohort as evidence that sustained investment in skills development can produce long-term benefits.“Cohort 1 was a dream. Cohort 5 is proof that dreams work when we commit to sustainability,” she said.She urged the beneficiaries to embrace the programme’s theme, “Kujifunza, Kujiajiri, Kuinua Familia”, which focuses on learning, creating employment and uplifting families.
The programme’s partners also reaffirmed their commitment to supporting practical skills development among young people from military families.Family Group Foundation Executive Director John Wairimu and Family Bank Chief Retail Banking Officer Phyllis Kimani said investment in human capital remained central to their support for the initiative.
“At Family Bank, we believe that one of the most powerful investments we can make is in human capital,” the partners said.DEFTEC Commandant Brigadier Ismail Noor said the programme was intended to ensure beneficiaries acquired more than academic qualifications.
He said trainees needed practical competencies, confidence and discipline to enable them to compete effectively in the workplace and pursue self-employment.
“Skills development is not merely about acquiring a qualification; it is about gaining the competence, discipline and confidence to apply what you have learnt and create a meaningful future for yourself, your family and the nation,” Noor said.
The partners said the programme was also designed to respond to changing labour market requirements by linking technical training with skills demanded by employers and customers.
Plumbing, electrical installation and ICT were selected for the latest cohort as areas where participants can pursue both formal employment and entrepreneurship.
Through the financial literacy component, trainees are also expected to gain knowledge on saving, budgeting, investment and responsible management of income.
The initiative comes as the government and private sector continue to promote TVET education as an avenue for addressing unemployment and equipping young people with skills that can translate into livelihoods.
For KDF families, the programme provides an additional avenue through which dependants can acquire marketable skills while contributing to household incomes.
With 459 beneficiaries now having gone through the programme since 2023, MWAK and its partners are seeking to expand the initiative and create more opportunities for military families to achieve greater economic self-reliance.
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