Amplifying Vital Voices of Women in the Energy and Extractives Sectors in Kenya
Mrs. Jane Muigai-Kamphuis
Mrs. Jane Muigai-Kamphuis is the Founder-Director of The Toolkit for Skills and Innovation, a leading social enterprise that transforms Africa’s vulnerable youth through skilling with technology and linkage to jobs. The Toolkit for Skills and Innovation’s sectors of interest include digital jobs, organic farming, the construction sector, and renewable energy. Mrs. Muigai-Kamphuis founded The Toolkit for Skills and Innovation in 2014 to address the crisis of youth unemployment in Africa, having noted there existed a profound shortage of skill sets necessary for Africa’s growth. Since then, The Toolkit for Skills and Innovation has grown to become a leading transformer of youth through its innovative skilling approach that brings together public regulators, the private sector, and NGOs/Foundations to create a reliable workforce for current and future jobs. The Toolkit for Skills and Innovation uses a unique approach that starts with self-esteem through life and employability skills training, then technical skills that are certified by government regulators, and thirdly, offering linkage with industries for work experience and employment. In 2020, Jane won the Women in Africa (WIA54) Education Award, a unique recognition given the competition was among 3,800 women-led enterprises in Africa. Jane holds a Master of Laws (LL.M) from Harvard Law School and a Bachelor of Laws Degree (LL.B) from the University of Nairobi.
Jane Mulgai-Kamphuis’s story begins not in the courtrooms, but in the quiet moments of observation. Early in her career, while working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), she witnessed firsthand how vocational training provided displaced individuals with economic independence and this motivated her to extend similar opportunities to young people in Kenya, especially women.
In 2014, she founded The Toolkit for Skills and Innovation, driven by a stark reality of Africa’s youth unemployment crisis. According to Jane, the shortage of skills was a huge gap that needed someone’s proactiveness to fill it. Her approach to this was revolutionary since she blends life and employability skills training with technical skills that are certified by government regulators, and offers linkage with industries for work experience and employment. The Toolkit’s model doesn’t just teach welding or solar installation; but it restores dignity and opens doors to formal employment.
Yet, Jane’s journey has not been without challenges especially skepticism for venturing into male-dominated sectors like construction and renewable energy. Undeterred, she leaned into competence, building alliances and advocating fiercely for women’s inclusion. She is also proud of her involvement in AWEIK’s advocacy efforts and seeing women she mentored rise to leadership positions in these industries. A defining moment came when young women from The Toolkit for skills and innovation secured jobs on construction sites, their hard hats and determination shattering stereotypes. “That’s when I knew we were changing narratives,” she says.
Her work soon gained recognition. In 2020, the WIA54 Education Award honored her among 3,800 contenders, a testament to her scalable impact. But for Jane, the true measure of success lies in the thousands of youths, especially women, who now thrive in sectors once deemed inaccessible. She has definitely created a sea of opportunities for young women across Kenya and beyond.
Looking ahead, Jane envisions a future where women are not exceptions in energy and construction but equals. She champions mandatory gender quotas, targeted mentorship, and policies that dismantle systemic biases. She also believes that organizations like AWEIK should continue their advocacy and networking efforts to create pathways for women
And to the young women aspiring to enter these male-dominated fields, her message is clear: “Break the mold. Believe in yourself. Seek training and mentorship, and never let societal stereotypes define your limits.” For Jane, the journey is far from over—it’s a relentless pursuit of a world where every young African woman can build a future as vibrant as their potential.