Governor Ferdinand Waititu on Tuesday presided over the ‘Kaa Sober’ initiative graduation ceremony of 5,078 former alcoholics held at Ndumberi Grounds, Kiambu.
During the ceremony, the governor handed out Ksh101 million to the graduands indicating that the funds were meant to empower the reformed individuals with enough capital to kick-start various business ventures.
“They are now reformed people and ready to do various jobs. We decided not to buy them any equipment but instead give them money to start businesses of their choice,” Waititu divulged.
Beneficiaries of the initiative received Ksh20,000 each from the county government.
Kenneth Kimathi, a Kaa Sober programme graduand gave a grim narration to The standard on how he fell into alcoholism and down into a deep dark abyss, adding that he would definitely be dead were it not for the initiative.
The Kahawa Wendani resident disclosed that he turned to the bottle upon returning from work in Afghanistan in 2012.
“I became a perennial drunkard. I was always in the club where I would drink to keep away the stress,” he revealed.
“Eventually my father kicked me out since I was always violent while drunk. They could no longer keep me in their home,” he added.
He has since undergone training as a caterer and plans to use the money he received to start a bakery.
Governor Waititu. in his address at the function. stated that the county government was willing to foot the bills of all those who will be enrolled in various polytechnics to undertake technical courses of their choice.
In November 2018, the rehabilitation programme members were enrolled for short courses in polytechnics across the county where they were trained technical skills such as masonry, plumbing, bakery, beadwork, tailoring, electrical installations, hairdressing and welding, among others.
