Iten modern market keeps youth busy as skills rise and drug use declines

Victor Kibet, a young resident of Iten working at the site, lauds the project saying that it has become a turning point in his life.

“This modern market project here in Iten has come with many benefits for us young people because right now, the way we are, it does not leave us idle or make us think about using drugs. The government has helped us as youth and taken us off the streets,” he said. 

For Kibet, the busy construction site has replaced the uncertainty and temptations of street life with structure, income and purpose. He says that being constantly engaged at work has helped many young people avoid substance abuse and other social vices.

Since joining the project with no formal skills, Kibet says his transformation has been remarkable.

“Someone like me, when I first came here as just a young man with no skills at all, during those 9 months I have at least gained skills, I have learned 1,2,3, and it has really helped me,” he said.

He began with basic manual work but now operates machinery, a shift he says has changed both his confidence and earning power.

“I started just as a young man pushing sand, but now I can operate machines like the mixer and also the forklift. So it has really helped me a lot,” he noted.

Beyond skills, Kibet says the income has brought stability to his personal life, allowing him to support his family and meet essential responsibilities.

“I can say it has brought great benefits because right now, as a young man with a family, it has helped me pay my child’s school fees. I have a young daughter, and it has supported me a lot. I have not had problems with my landlord, and I have also not had issues with the teachers,” he said. 

He says the project has also given employment to over 100 young people from the area, creating a ripple effect of positive change in the community.

“This has employed more than 100 young people. Removing over 100 youths from the streets really helps a lot.” 

Kibet believes those who doubt the project’s impact are ignoring what is visible on the ground.

“Those who do not believe are the ones who may not be seeing clearly, but I believe because I have worked on it and I have benefited. I have reaped the fruits of this project. The project is real, and young people are working,” he quipped.

The Iten Modern Market Project is located in Iten town, Kapchemutwa Ward, Keiyo North Sub-County in Elgeyo Marakwet County. The development consists of a market block, ablution facilities, mechanical and electrical works, and external civil works.

Physical progress currently stands at 31 per cent, following site handover on 23 May 2025.

The project includes ground floor market areas, cold rooms and storage zones, while upper floors will house shops, offices, social amenities, prayer rooms, ICT spaces, food courts and service facilities.

According to project officials, the market is designed to accommodate up to 750 traders, easing congestion and improving hygiene and trade efficiency in Iten town.

Clerk of Works Philemon Koech says the project is fully inclusive and designed to serve traders across Elgeyo Marakwet County.

“Over 100 workers are on site daily, including masons, carpenters, machine operators and local food vendors, with most labour drawn from the surrounding community.”

Nationally, the government says modern markets are part of a wider strategy to strengthen the informal sector by creating dignified working spaces for traders while generating jobs at the grassroots.

President William Ruto has said that modern market projects across the country are central to boosting small businesses, improving hygiene and supporting economic growth.

At the same time, the President has intensified calls for action against drug and alcohol abuse among youth, warning that substance abuse threatens the country’s future.

He has urged support and rehabilitation for affected young people, linking employment creation and economic empowerment as key tools in the fight against addiction.