Kenya Maritime Authority Unveils Transformative Life Jacket Project
By Harrison Kivisu
Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com
The Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) has launched a 4-year project of supporting the Manufacture of local quality standard life jackets in quest to enhance marine safety.
The projects that will be undertaken by Kenyan youth and women through cottage industries named ‘Project Elea” seeks also to create livelihoods for them.
Project Elea is aimed at boosting the manufacturing and availability of affordable and high-quality locally made life jackets to enhance maritime safety compliance in the country.
The project also seeks to facilitate vocational skills training and gainful employment to 500 youth and women in selected pilot counties who will be supported to manufacture and sell 500,000 lifejackets locally.
Through the program, the Authority expects to implement the Government’s Bottom-up economic Transformation agenda, the policy on ecognition of Prior Learning as well as promote the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 1,4,5,8,10,13,16 and 17.
“The Country is expatriating much required forex to import lifejackets and other life-saving appliances yet tailoring is the basic skill required to manufacture lifejackets,” highlighted Eng. Martin Dzombo, Munga, KMA’s Director General.
The Authority’s Project Elea is being implemented under four (4) phases with Phase 1 focusing on vocational skills training and prototype production through an already established collaboration framework with the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA).
This is where KMA is sponsoring 500 youth and women to undertake vocational skills training and NITA certification in tailoring, embroidery and garment design to empower them to make lifejackets.
The KMA pilot project ‘Elea’ has commenced with a selection of youth and women from counties of Kilifi, Kwale, Lamu, Mombasa and Turkana.
The second phase of the project will consist of an industrial attachment of the beneficiaries of the project which will be coordinated by NITA followed by the 3 rd phase; the local manufacture of lifejackets.
“During phase 3 of Project Elea , KMA will require the trainee beneficiaries from each county to form SACCOS through which KMA will assist in setting up capacity to manufacture quality standard lifejackets and oversee the manufacturing standards, ” said Eng. Martin Dzombo, Munga, KMA’s Director General.
The 4 th and final phase of KMA’s Project Elea will involve the marketing and supply of llifejackets where the maritime agency will assist beneficiary SACCOs in publicizing and supplying lifejackets within the country and the East Africa region.
Beneficiaries for the project have a minimum of KCSE mean grade of ‘D’, prior learning and experience in tailoring and between the ages of 18-25 years.
The Kenya Maritime Authority estimates that over 20,000 small vessels are operating and engaged in socio-economic activities along the Kenyan coast and territorial waters such as Lakes Victoria, Turkana, Naivasha, Baringo and Nakuru.
Marine casualties are a major challenge in upholding maritime safety on Kenyan navigable waters despite KMA’s relentless efforts to ensure boat owners and operators comply with vessel and passenger safety regulations.
Vessel owners cite both the unavailability of standard quality lifejackets in the local market and the high cost of acquiring quality imported life jackets.
KMA’s statutory functions include enforcing the safety of shipping including compliance with ship and passengers’ safety standards, conducting regular inspection of vessels to ensure maritime safety and regulating shipping in the inland waterways including the safety of navigation.
