In the words of 3D participants from Kibera
CMS-Africa Communications Office had a chance to engage with some of the 3D Participants who graduated in May 2019 after 7 months of going through the Discover, Develop and deploy modules of youth training. These youths did not only discover and develop their skills but are already deploying them in their individual lives and the community.
Speaking at the graduation, the CMS-Africa Cross-Cultural Missions Manager Karobia Njogu, noted that 3D is not out to create job seekers as the formal education systems, but 3D is out to create job makers. "In you, we see people who will create enterprises, maybe first of all for yourself then for others," said Karobia. Below is what each of them had to say:
DORRIS
I have been coming to the Centre for Urban Mission Resource Centre since mid-last year on every Tuesday and Friday, to learn about 3D. I have learned a lot and I am looking forward to putting them into practice. Amongst us, there are those who had given up in life.
The business was not working but when we came here, we shared our ideas and indeed we got encouragement from which some of us are going to start our businesses. I am personally working hard to ensure that before the end of this year, I will have started my businesses. I am grateful to CMS-Africa and the Centre for Urban Mission for reviving our hopes when nothing was working in our lives here at Kibera.
MOSES MUKOKO
I knew this 3D program through Dan, who encouraged me to join here. As I wait to join campus in September at the Technical University of Mombasa, currently am still learning mechanics at Dagoretti Corner as a result of going through the 3D Programme where I learned to explore God-given talents, gifting's and abilities. I believe that I can do something wherever I find myself using my hands as the Lord God blesses the work of my hands.
ONGORO KEVIN
Currently studying at Mt Kenya University pursuing Bachelor in Business under Human Resource management, I have slowly initiated consultancy services for local CBOs and individuals where I write proposals, scan certificates, provide computer and internet services all from my house. This started after going through the 3D Programs which helped me to open my eyes to locally available resources.
SHARON
I studied Hospitality Management and after going through the 3D Programme, I have initiated a personal business in Pastry and Bakery where I make doughnuts, cakes, and other baking products from home and sell them in the neighborhood. That is what is sustaining me and I look forward to expand it in future.
ISAAC OCHIENG' OYOO
I came to join Youth Resource Center through a friend. I do sports, jump rope and other athletic activities in the neighborhood.
I thank God for the person who came up with the idea of starting 3D, this person had a good idea, that is you Discover your skills, talents, and abilities, develop them and then Deploy. 3D talks of so many things, including talents. And at least I came with some knowledge from here.
So thank you so much for the person who came up with 3D. Then the other thing is that they taught us about business. The challenge comes on how to start and how to manage a business. But as a business person, you must struggle to know what you need. I look forward to pioneering companies, businesses and life-changing enterprises in Kibera alongside fellow 3D graduates shortly.
FESTUS OTIENO
I am so overjoyed to be graduating today from the 3D programme. I learnt a lot during the 3D Course where we were taken through Discover, Develop, and Deploy. So my thanksgiving goes to the CMS for coming up with that. The 3D itself has been of great help. Reading through that book has opened my mind. I thank our trainer Dan for not giving up on us when we were going through the course and may God bless you.
I would like to urge the graduates, whatever they have been trained here, let it be a recurrent. Let's keep sharing the knowledge with other people, among us, among the youths that are in this community, in the church so that it becomes something that keeps building up not something that happens now you have graduated and then certificates are kept and that's all, No. Lastly, is that may God bless us, for; being patient, patience is something that many of us lack, but we have been patient.
So thank you so much CMS in conjunction with Church Army Africa and CUM (Center for Urban Mission) because I think the resource center we have here in St Jerome if all of us could or rather can embrace the three dimensions that we have been taught, then I believe we have managers here, we have company owners, we have big trainers and skills are in these people.
In conclusion, hearing what each of these young men and women is doing shows that they are not waiting for things to happen to them, but are going out of their way to make things to happen. That's the objective of CMS-Africa Youth Training programmed called 3D.