Foundation moves against unemployment, empowers youths in vocational skills

In a bid to check the rising unemployment among young Nigerians, Youth Empowerment Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, has empowered forty-five young Nigerians in different vocation skills.

The vocational training programmes, which were held in Lagos, Ibadan and Abuja were in partnership with the First City Monument Bank.

Tagged; ‘The Impact for Future’, the training exposed the beneficiaries to training in catering, fashion design, computer engineering, makeup, shoemaking among others.

Speaking at the graduation of some of the beneficiaries in Lagos over the weekend, Tolulope Oshoba, programme officer of the foundation, said the essence of the vocational training is to empower young people to be self-reliant and wealth creators.

Oshoba noted that it was imperative that young Nigerians look inward rather than seeking for non-existence white collar jobs.

She stressed that hundreds of youths across Nigeria had benefited from the vocational training since it was established about six years ago.

“It is basically to empower young people that you don’t have to wait for the country to do something for you; you can do something for yourself to make the country a better place and create employment. We all know we have a lot of unemployed youths and several people who have benefited have their businesses and are employing people.

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“We have forty-five beneficiaries across Lagos, Ibadan and Abuja. The training programme is organised in partnership with First City Monument Bank; it has been on for six years.

“Every year, we recruit young people and train them in various vocations; hairdressing, make-up, catering, computer engineering and shoe making. We saw a girl who learned shoemaking,” Oshoba said.

A beneficiary, Olubiyi Angela, who specialised in catering, said through the training, she had fulfilled her long time ambition of becoming a caterer, stressing that she intends setting up her business after graduation.

According to her, “I want to try a business; this was an opportunity to go deeper because I have learned catering before but I was not clear. I intend to start my own business; I have an idea and business plan on how I can start my catering business.

“I have my social media handles, from time to time when I cook I take pictures and I also have customers, they give me good feedback when I send my practical materials to them”.

Ayokunle Odewunmi, a staff of FCMB, said the bank was carrying out its social responsibility and giving back to the society by partnering with the foundation to empower young Nigerians.

Odewunmi stated that the testimonies from past beneficiaries were clear indications that if empowered with the right vocation and knowledge young people could be wealth creators rather than job seekers.

“It is a child we cherish a lot; we have seen that there is a positive impact from those who have benefited from the vocational training over the years.

“The bank does not only believe in profit making, it has other responsibilities, we try as much as possible to ensure we impact our environment,” Odewunmi said.