In a landmark step toward validating informal workforce skills, President William Ruto awarded formal skills certificates to 3,727 Kenyans through the government’s Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) programme.
The certification initiative targets experienced workers who acquired practical mastery through apprenticeships, hands-on experience, and informal training, giving them official credentials to prove their technical competence.
“These skilled young people have built Kenya even before Kenya recognized them. Today, the country recognizes them,” Ruto said.
Beyond unlocking better employment opportunities and leveling the playing field in the formal job market, President Ruto unveiled two complementary digital solutions to support these certified workers: the Fundi Locator portal and a revamped Haba Haba social protection scheme.
Connecting Artisans Directly with Clients
The newly launched Fundi Locator functions as a digital marketplace, matching skilled technical and vocational workers directly with potential employers and prospective clients. The portal allows certified technicians to create professional profiles, highlight their portfolio of work, and receive job bookings transparently.
“We have encouraged them to take advantage of the Fundi Locator App, which we have launched to help skilled workers connect with customers and access more opportunities,” Ruto noted.
Concurrently, the government expanded financial security measures for informal sector workers by revamping the Haba Haba savings scheme. The program encourages self-employed artisans, fundis, and small business operators to build long-term savings and access social safety nets tailored to irregular incomes.
Closing the Gap Between Experience and Certification
The Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) framework formally evaluates non-traditional learning pathways, ensuring experienced workers receive institutional backing without undergoing full retrain cycles.
| Feature | Details |
| Primary Beneficiaries | Experienced artisans, fundis, technicians, and self-taught workers |
| Assessment Approach | Practical competency evaluation of real-world work experience |
| Market Portal | Fundi Locator platform for job listings, bookings, and client matches |
| Financial Inclusion | Revamped Haba Haba scheme for voluntary savings and retirement planning |
These unified measures reflect the administration’s broader agenda to elevate technical education, digitize job distribution, and integrate informal workers into Kenya’s economic growth strategies.
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