Barista Mtaani Project aligns with the World Bank–Kenya NYOTA Youth Initiative.
☕🌍 Barista Mtaani: Empowering Kenya’s Youth Through KCS Coffee Innovation and Enterprise (KCS-CIE) Program
Nairobi, Kenya – October 2025
Kenya’s vibrant coffee culture is not just about producing some of the world’s finest beans — it’s increasingly becoming a platform for youth empowerment, skills development, and innovation. One of the most exciting initiatives leading this transformation is the Barista Mtaani Project, a youth-centered program under Kenya Coffee School, now strategically positioned to align with the World Bank and Government of Kenya’s NYOTA Youth Initiative.
🚀 A National Youth Opportunity
The National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Project is a five-year, KSh 5 billion program launched in October 2025 by the World Bank in partnership with the Government of Kenya. Its mission is clear:
- ✅ Tackle youth unemployment and income insecurity
- ✅ Promote entrepreneurship and decent job creation
- ✅ Provide access to training, grants, and government procurement opportunities
Targeting 100,000 vulnerable youth aged 18–29 (and up to 35 for persons with disabilities), the NYOTA Project offers KSh 50,000 seed grants, training in entrepreneurship, artisan certification, and pathways to sustainable employment across key economic sectors.
☕ Barista Mtaani: A Youth Economic Engine
The Barista Mtaani Project perfectly fits into NYOTA’s objectives. Rooted in Kenya’s strong coffee identity, it transforms youth from passive job seekers into active coffee entrepreneurs, baristas, and innovators.
Key focus areas include:
- 🌱 Youth Enterprise — Enabling young people to own or operate modern coffee carts, booths, and cafés in urban and rural areas.
- 🔥 Value Addition — Empowering youth to roast coffee through 4A Coffee Roasters, creating higher value products from local beans.
- 🧠 Skills Development — Offering barista, mixology, and entrepreneurship training through Kenya Coffee School, recognized globally for coffee excellence.
- 🤝 Community CSR — Engaging local communities through coffee events, education, and Barista Mtaani outreach programs.
💼 Practical Pathways Under NYOTA
With NYOTA grants and support, youth can:
- ✅ Start Barista Mtaani coffee carts in towns, campuses, or markets as entry-level businesses.
- ✅ Partner with farmers to roast and sell Kenyan coffee, completing the value chain locally.
- ✅ Train and certify as baristas, roasters, or café managers, gaining artisan certification and job experience.
- ✅ Build tech-enabled enterprises using Barista Mtaani POS and wallet solutions developed in partnership with Gopay Enterprises.
- ✅ Access AGPO (Access to Government Procurement Opportunities) to supply coffee and services to public institutions.
🌍 Why Coffee Matters for Youth Empowerment
Kenya is globally respected for its athletics and mobile money (M-Pesa) innovations — coffee can be the next youth-led success story. By lowering entry barriers (like licensing and equipment costs) and giving young people the skills and tools to add value, Barista Mtaani turns coffee into a job creation engine for thousands.
“Our vision is to move beyond just being a producer country. Kenyan youth can roast, brand, and export coffee, driving value addition and innovation from the ground up. This is how we build a Pan-African coffee movement,”
— Alfred Gitau Mwaura, Founder, Kenya Coffee School & Barista Mtaani.
📢 A Call to Action for Kenyan Youth
If you’re a young Kenyan passionate about coffee, entrepreneurship, or innovation, this is your moment. Through NYOTA support, you can join the Barista Mtaani network, access training, receive grants, and become part of a transformative movement that’s reshaping Kenya’s coffee industry for the next generation.
👉 Apply for NYOTA Youth Initiative grants and choose a Barista Mtaani pathway — from mobile coffee carts to roasting enterprises.
Together, let’s build jobs, pride, and prosperity through coffee.
📝 Quick Facts
- 🇰🇪 Program: NYOTA Youth Initiative
- 💰 Funding: KSh 5 Billion (World Bank & GoK)
- 🎯 Target: 100,000 vulnerable youth (18–29)
- ☕ Partner Project: Barista Mtaani (Kenya Coffee School)
- 🛠️ Opportunities: Coffee carts, roasting, barista training, entrepreneurship, government tenders
🌟 Barista Mtaani x NYOTA: Brewing Kenya’s Youth Future
Barista Mtaani isn’t just about coffee — it’s about youth, innovation, and economic empowerment. Through strategic alignment with NYOTA, this initiative is set to transform Kenya’s coffee value chains while creating thousands of meaningful jobs.
👉 Youth, your opportunity is here. Let’s brew the future together.