FG, NGO train 175 youths in vocational skills, others

A Non-Governmental Organisation, Rays of Light Empowerment Initiative, in collaboration with some Federal Government agencies, has trained over 175 youths in different vocational skills that will enable them to start their own businesses.

The programme, held in Abuja with the theme, ‘Sustainable Enterprise and Economic Development Programme for All,’ drew facilitators from the Industrial Training Fund, Nigeria Export Promotion Council, National Poverty Alleviation Programme, Enterprise Agency, Nigeria Association of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises and Bank of Industry.

 On the significance of the programme, the Managing Director/CEO of RLEI, Ms. Toun Omisore-Davidson, said it was targeted at the youth with a view to taking them off the streets through an intensive training that would help them to discover their talents and put them to creative and profitable ventures.

Omisore-Davidson, who stated that the group had held similar capacity programmes in other parts of the country, declared that the NGO was formed to partner with related government agencies to empower the vulnerable groups in the society.

 She said, “Our group is an NGO that empowers people economically; we are into economic advocacy and empowerment. There is a lot of unemployment, a lot of poverty and a lot of corps members being churned out to a no-job situation and we want to do our part, assist the government in providing work and sustainable businesses for these people.”

According to her, the group has a designated desk that helps to identify participants with similar businesses with a view to helping them come together to access loans for either start-ups.

She said while efforts were on to partner some commercial banks, the NGO was already working with some microfinance banks such as Kwali Micro Finance Bank and BFL Micro Finance Bank.

 Also at the business empowerment seminar, the Divisional Pastor, Christ Gospel Mission, Abuja, Mrs.Olubukunola Ogunkanmi, noted that the programme was timely as it would help a good number of youths to discover their talents and put them to use instead of waiting for white-collar jobs that were not available.

“The two-day capacity development programme has really been awesome; I believe this will help anyone who has a heart to have a source of livelihood without necessarily depending on the government. While government employment is good, it cannot go round, we need to empower the youth and spin up the creative potential in them, not only to be able to fend for themselves, but also to serve as a source of gift to the society and humanity at large,” she added.