MKU Hosts Step-S Trainer Workshop at MKCC
Project: Student Training for Entrepreneurial Promotion Sustainability (STEP-S)
Project Team: Prof. Peter Wanderi & Mr Bonface Joel Malala
Period: 2024-2027 (4 Years)
Mount Kenya University hosted a 1-week (8th to 12th July, 2024) Train-the-Trainer Workshop at the Mwai Kibaki Conventional Centre (MKCC), Main Campus, Thika. The aim of the workshop was to train twelve MKU faculty members to become certified instructors for the STEP-S project. The opening ceremony was graced by Dr Mercyline Kamande (Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic and Research Affairs). The Facilitators of the workshop included; Mr Paul Herrmann and Ms Janina Peschmann from Leuphana University (Germany), Dr Anyway Mikioni from University of Venda (South Africa) and Mr Christopher Chediebere Uwakwe from Godfrey University (Nigeria). Prof Michael M. Gielnik (STEP-S Principal Investigator) from Leuphana participated in the workshop virtually. In attendance during the opening ceremony were; Dr Henry Yatich (Principal, College of Graduate Studies and Research), Prof. Peter Wanderi (Principal Investigator) and Mr Bonface Joel Malala (Co-Investigator and Project Coordinator). In her speech, the DVC-ARA appreciated the impact the STEP-S project on both the undergraduate students at MKU as well as the youth at the Counties. She challenged the project stakeholders to focus on the research component in order to come up with innovative findings that can add value to the project in the long run. In overall, the DVC-ARA emphasized the need to impart the entrepreneurial skills to youth in order to address the growing challenge of unemployment in Kenya.
During the 1-week training, 12 faculty members were trained on the 12 STEP-S modules and thereafter were certified by Leuphana University to become STEP-S instructors. The certified instructors will train 200 MKU undergraduate students on entrepreneurship between September to November 2024. The beneficiaries will be given a seed capital to practice entrepreneurship within the university for a period of 12 weeks.
The commissioning ceremony was graced by Dr Peter Kirira (Deputy Vice-Chancellor, APIA). Dr Kirira appreciated the Leuphana University for the long-standing collaboration with Mount Kenya University on STEP project. In addition, he also acknowledged the role the German government is playing through the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) towards transforming Kenya through various academic programmes across the country.
