1000 Youths Receive N650,000 Each From ActionAid Nigeria To Kick Start Their Businesses

By Simeon OSAJIE

The ActionAid Nigeria has empowered 1000 graduands with N650,000 each  to further support their businesses, bringing the total sum distributed to the beneficiaries  to N32,500,000 for the 50 groups.

The Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, Ene Obi made the statements during the equipment handover ceremony of the first batch of graduands of skill acquisition programme under the Migration 1, known as the 'Dare To Hope Project' in Benin City, Edo state capital.

Ene Obi said the project seeks to create alternatives to irregular migration through socio-economic empowerment and sensitization.

She added, "The ActionAid Nigeria in partnership with Idea Development and Research Center (IDRC) Kiroas Youth Empowerment Initiative, the Italian Agency for Cooperation and Development through ActionAid Ialian has graduated 1000 youths in their various skill areas such as hairdressing, fish farming, makeup artistry, shoe making, bag making, poultry, aluminum fabrication and bead making.

"The creation of alternatives to migration through socio-economic development and sensitization project implemented by ActionAid and its partners was conceptualized and being implemented .

"Specifically the training is to tackle the root causes of irregular migration by training, equipping and monitoring youths in various skill areas such as fishing farming, makeup artistry, hairdressing, shoe, bag making, poultry, aluminum fabrication and bread making.

"The overall aim of the project is to contribute to improving socio-economic conditions of young people so that they can being informed and voluntary choices instead of being by economic causes to migrate."

Going further, Ene Obi opined, "As we graduate the first batch of 1000 beneficiaries today. I am here to present the first batch of trainees who were identified after a through selection in Benin, Auchi and Uromi.

"To the granduands to which much is given, much is expected, you have been trained, formed into cooperatives, you will be equipped to receive seed grants of N650,000 per cooperatives to further support the businesses, amounting to N32,500,000 for the 50 groups and we believe the sky will only be your starting point.

"ActionAid will continue to monitor your performance while engaging with our donor to see how we can support the outstanding beneficiaries who have demonstrated consistency, passion and dedication in their chosen trade," Ene added.

In her remarks, wife of the Edo State Governor, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki said the Edo State government is eager to train and develop the youths so that they can be self reliance in the state.

Mrs. Obaseki said Edo state government's aims is to ensure that the youths are trained on skills acquisition such as Fashion Designer, Shoe and Bag Making, Fishery, Poultry,  Hair Dressing and others so that they can fend for themselves.

She thanked ActionAid for the initiative and for supporting the state government in curbing illegal migration in the state just as she congratulated the graduands and appealed to them to learn, develop self respect, discipline and Godly manners so that they can excel in their various endeavour.

Appreciating the NGO for their support, the Chairperson of the Etsako West local government, Hajia Khadijat Inusa Imonofi, said the council is willing to collaborate with ActionAid to enable them train some of the returnees who travelled to abroad to look for greener pastures.

Hajia Inusa said, she was satisfied with the way and manner in which ActionAid conduct their exercise of chosen their trainees, stressed that the council is looking up to the next process.

Highlights of the event was the award of certificate to the beneficiaries by Her Excellency, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki. entertainment of guests with varieties if take away food  park and a cultural dance troupe with their carefully choreographic footsteps.