CHEDI, World Bank staff empower 60 youths in FCT, Nasarawa, Niger

A Non-Governmental Organisation, Citizens Health Education & Development Initiative (CHEDI) in collaboration with the World Bank staff has empowered 60 unemployed youth from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Niger and Nasarawa states.

Speaking at the presentation of the empowerment kits yesterday in Abuja, the Executive Director of CHEDI, Mrs. Selina Akunna Enyioha, said the NGO was targeting unemployed graduates, who’ve retrained and acquired skills in areas of tailoring, barbing and hair dressing but couldn’t afford start-up kits.

She added that the graduates have had their hopes heightened after acquiring education; unfortunately their dreams in Nigeria became mirage.

“It’ a herculean task for our staff selecting the participants for this program. The selection process involved liaising with some training outfits in FCT, Nasarawa and Niger states and the distribution of specially designed application forms.

“A total of 156 persons applied, with the highest number for tailoring. Therefore, these 60 youth selected should consider themselves very lucky,’’ she said.

Mrs. Selina also called on other organisations and well to do Nigerians to donate funds to CHEDI to expand its empowerment programs to youth and vulnerable Nigerians.

Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Mathew Ashikeni, charged the beneficiaries to use the opportunity to check poverty in their houses and immediate society, while calling on other organizations and well-meaning individuals to partner with CHEDI to enable them expand the scope to cover more youths.

City & Crime reports that 20 of the beneficiaries were given tailoring equipment, another 20 with hairdressing equipment and 20 others with barbing equipment.