What we do
Step Up Skills CBO operates seven interconnected programme areas, each addressing a specific gap facing youth and women in Nairobi’s informal settlements. Together, they take a person from first assessment through training, employment, and ongoing mentorship.
Technical & Vocational Training
TVETA-accredited, hands-on training in high-demand trades: electrical, plumbing, construction, tailoring, cosmetology, welding, automotive, and hospitality.
Digital Literacy & Technology Access
From first-time computer use to freelancing and the digital economy, with shared computer labs for learners without their own devices.
Employment Pathways
Internships, verified employer connections, labour outsourcing, and regulated international labour migration with rights awareness built in.
Life Skills & Emotional Intelligence
Communication, financial literacy, mental health awareness, and sports-based teamwork and resilience training.
Mentorship & Leadership
A structured 12-month mentorship pairing every graduate with an industry professional, plus group mentorship circles and a women's mentorship track.
Entrepreneurship & Economic Empowerment
Business planning, six-month startup incubation, savings groups, and support accessing the Youth and Women Enterprise Funds.
What we care for
Closing the skills gap
Over 86% of jobs in Kenya’s informal sector go unfilled or under-filled by workers without formal training. We exist to close that gap, one certified graduate at a time.
Reaching the hardest-to-reach communities
Kibera, Mathare, Mukuru, Dandora, Kariobangi, Huruma, Githurai, and Kayole. We work where opportunity is scarcest and need is greatest.
From training to a dignified income
Certification alone doesn’t pay rent. Every graduate is connected to internships, jobs, outsourcing opportunities, or startup support before we consider their journey complete.