Affordable Housing Project Creates Jobs and Skills for Local Youth Across the Country

By The COAST Reporter

Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com

The Whitehouse Affordable Housing Project in Diani, Kwale County, is providing employment and practical skills to residents, even as workers raise concerns over delayed wages.

The project is part of the government’s Affordable Housing Programme, which President William Ruto says is intended not only to provide homes but also to create employment and equip young people with marketable skills.

Several residents working at the construction site say the jobs have enabled them to meet their daily needs, save money, and acquire skills that could open doors to other employment opportunities.

Ester Kahindi, who works alongside a mason at the site, said the project had provided her with an income at a time when employment opportunities were limited.

“Before this project began, we did not have jobs. Now we come here to work instead of staying at home. I assist a mason by mixing construction materials, and I am very grateful for the opportunity the project has given us,” she said.

Pauline Mutua said her experience at the site had equipped her with construction skills and strengthened her ability to earn a living independently.

“This affordable housing job has helped me greatly because I now have work and can support myself as a woman. When I leave here, I will be able to seek other jobs, including steel fixing or plumbing,” she said.

Mutua added that the income had enabled her to move beyond the small cooking jobs she previously relied on and begin saving through a women’s group.

“I used to depend on cooking jobs, but the income was not enough. Through this project, I can now save, and we also have a women’s group where we support one another,” she said.

For Willison Waje, a building construction student at Godoma Technical Institute in Kilifi, the project offered an opportunity to undertake industrial attachment before securing employment at the site.

“I came here for my attachment and was later given an opportunity to work. I have learned a lot through this project, and I believe the experience will benefit me wherever I go next,” Waje said.

Other workers, including Kaasim Ali, said the project had improved their livelihoods by providing a regular source of income and easing the pressure of meeting household expenses.

However, some workers said delayed payments remained a major challenge. They appealed to the government to ensure contractors pay wages on time, noting that payment delays make it difficult for them to meet basic needs.

For the workers, the Whitehouse development represents more than the construction of housing units. It has become a source of jobs, technical experience and hope for improved livelihoods among residents of Diani and neighbouring areas.