By Godwin Bonge Muhwezi
As Polytechnic Colleges, supported by the World Bank-funded East Africa Skills for Transformation and Regional Integration Project (EASTRIP), begin construction of Regional Flagship TVET Institutes (RFTIs), issues of environment and social safeguards have become increasingly critical. Consequently, IUCEA organized a 5-day training for Environment and Social Safeguards Specialists from RFTIs in Kenya and Tanzania to highlight the importance of integrating environmental and social safeguards in institutional policies and programmes.
The training took place in Nakuru, Kenya and was facilitated by Maina Githinji, a consultant in environmental and social safeguards and the World Bank Team from the Kenya Country Office. They included Raymond Kirwa, the Social Development, Specialist, Lilian Onsogo, Consultant and Diana Sirma, Environmental Specialist. Participants included Environment and Social Safeguards Specialists as well as Project Coordinators and Center Leaders from RFTIs in Kenya and Tanzania.
Participants take a group photo after the training.
While opening the training session, the EASTRIP Deputy National Project Coordinator for Kenya, Mr. Archer Arina, said: “The training in environmental and social safeguards has been long overdue”, noting that it has taken place at a critical time when most RFTIs have begun various construction projects at their institutes. He commended Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), the EASTRIP Regional Facilitation Unit, for organizing the training.
The EASTRIP Regional Project Coordinator, Dr. Cosam Joseph, noted that the training was the first comprehensive training on environmental and social safeguards, given that previous trainings had been largely conducted online.
Participants during the Training
The World Bank
The Writer is a Project Communication Officer for EASTRIP at IUCEA