Get real time updates directly on you device, subscribe now.
NAKURU, KENYA – At the heart of Nakuru’s National Library, the quiet hum of ambition filled the air. It wasn’t just another tech event it was a movement. Fifty-three young innovators gathered not to dream, but to build. Their mission: develop solutions to youth unemployment using digital tools. Supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the AI-focused hackathon became a launchpad for hope, hustle, and homegrown solutions.
The theme, “Driving decent job creation through digitalisation and AI,” didn’t just headline the event it lived in every pitch, prototype, and personal story. In a country where unemployment continues to weigh heavily on the youth, these young Kenyans proved that digital innovation isn’t a luxury it’s a necessity.
Tech With Purpose
Briton Indakwa, a computer science student, presented Agro-Advisor, an AI-powered tool that gives smallholder farmers real-time farming advice. “Farming isn’t just about land anymore,” he said. “It’s about data. And this tool gives farmers the edge they need to succeed.”
Meanwhile, Enock Kipkirui Langat, from Rift Valley National Polytechnic, focused on a different gap the disconnect between education and the labour market. His solution? A personalized AI platform that evaluates a youth’s strengths and interests, then aligns them with market-driven career paths. “Too many of us finish school without knowing where to go next. My system helps change that,” he shared.
For Magdaline Wambui, the issue hit closer to home. Having grown up watching classmates drop out due to lack of access to schools, she created Learn on the Go a mobile-first online learning platform tailored for rural communities. “Innovation must be driven by empathy,” she said. Her project is a lifeline for students who are often left behind.
Real Tools for Real Change
From healthcare to agriculture, education to gig work, the hackathon revealed a wide range of applications for digital technology. Nevil Ingutu’s GigStartAI connects youth to freelance opportunities by analysing skills and matching them with gigs. His call to action was simple yet powerful: “Don’t wait to be chosen use technology to choose yourself.”
The hackathon was many participants’ first encounter with coding, pitching, or even public speaking. But confidence grew quickly. “I’ve never pitched before, and now I want to do it again,” one participant said. Another added, “Meeting others who think like me? That was the real win.”
Beyond the Event: A Mindset Shift
The momentum didn’t stop at the ideas. The event sparked something deeper a shift in mindset. A belief that solutions don’t have to come from abroad. They can be built, coded, and launched right here.
The participants, drawn from 10 institutions across Nakuru County (36 male and 17 female), reflected both promise and a persistent gender gap. But young women like Magdaline are leading change, proving that inclusion is not a side goal it’s central to progress.
AI and digital tools hold unique potential to close such gaps. As noted by UNESCO and the World Economic Forum, inclusive investment in technology can level the playing field by addressing bias and enabling flexible, remote job opportunities for women. Kenya’s digital leap must be inclusive if it is to be sustainable.
A Blueprint for the Future
Kenya is already home to some of Africa’s most exciting digital innovations. Platforms like Apollo Agriculture use AI to provide farmers with credit and advice. Zindi empowers young people to solve real-world problems through data science competitions. TIBU Health delivers home-based medical care using AI logistics. And Safaricom’s chatbot Zuri has become a household tool for managing mobile services.
But this hackathon in Nakuru showed that the country’s most valuable tech resource might be its youth. They’re not just participating in the digital economy they’re shaping it.
From Promise to Policy
This initiative was supported through the Public-Private Development Partnerships for Inclusive Decent Employment and Productive Livelihoods (PPDP), an ILO-backed program focused on turning youth-driven ideas into inclusive economic outcomes. The event aligns with the ILO’s mission of creating decent work for all and it proves that with the right support, young people can be catalysts of meaningful change.
As one participant said, “We’re tired of promises. This is something we can actually build.”
In Nakuru, they did more than build they inspired. They reminded the world that innovation isn’t just about technology. It’s about courage, collaboration, and the commitment to shape a future that leaves no one behind.
