NGO Trains 500 Youths, Gives Cash Grants

A non-governmental organisation, Item Women Empowerment Initiative (IWEI), has trained 500 youths on skills acquisition and offered N250,000 cash grants to a select number in Abia State.

The programme tagged, “Empower Youth Enterprise Programme” commenced on Thursday with a two-day training by Rindelt Consulting Ltd in Umuahia, the state capital.

Speaking with LEADERSHIP Weekend after declaring the training open, the chairman and founding trustee of IWEI, Nnenna Orji said the programme was aimed at making the participants creators of labour.

She said, “They’ll be trained in food processing and packaging, cosmetic production and production of household cleaning agents, and digital marketing and business.

“These are trades that can appeal to a larger population and you can always find a target that will make you comfortable if you sell. That way, many people will be out of poverty.

Many people will become less dependent on other people.”

The legal practitioner further explained that at the end of the training, those selected for the grant will also be provided with a six-month free mentorship to boost their businesses.

‎‎Orji, who described herself as a born-philanthropist and was giving back to society, noted that she had, through the NGO, touched over 1,500 lives both within and outside the state.

‎‎She expressed appreciation to Afrexim Bank for sponsoring the programme and the support of the Herbert Onye Orji Foundation for the programme.

‎A participant, Mary Nkemakola, a civil servant, described the programme as very rewarding, adding that she had long been looking for such an opportunity.

‎‎”With the knowledge, I will become more self-sustaining financially and by extension become an employment creator while still being engaged,” the graduate of Laboratory Science added.