JAKIN, a Non-Governmental Organization has again moved to reduce the burden of unemployment in Nigeria as it empowered 180 out of school youths through its annual fresh foundation initiative.
Sponsored by Aspire Coronation Trust Foundation and Access Bank, the training which ended with a graduation ceremony, focused on empowering out of school youths from 5 informal communities with basic business management principles and vocational skills including bag making, hair braiding, bead making, Ankara craft and makeup.
The graduation ceremony took place at ECWA multipurpose hall, Montgomery road, Yaba, Lagos, winding up the 2020/2021 edition of the project.
Speaking during the graduation ceremony, the CEO of JAKIN NGO, Mrs. Adebiyi Olubukola popularly called ‘Mummy Jakin’, revealed that participants of the 2020/2021 edition of the annual project were going to benefit from job placements courtesy Holla jobs and Go ventures.
“Participants in this batch will further benefit from job placement opportunities JAKIN NGO just secured for fresh foundation project grandaunts from a recent collaboration with two organizations; Holla jobs, a vocational skills job placement app and On the Go ventures a recruitment firm,” Mrs. Adebiyi said.
She also revealed that 77 beneficiaries of the initiative in the past, had established their own businesses while 48 others were gainfully employed with the certificate issued to them after the completion of the three months training.
Also Dr. Olubunmi Adebiyi, a board member of the NGO who spoke at the event thanked the sponsors for supporting the event despite the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic.
He commended the participants for taking advantage of the training opportunity made available by the NGO.
“We want to thank ACT foundation for supporting the project despite the challenge of COVID-19,” Mr. Adebiyi said.
“You made the right choice by enrolling for this training. You took the opportunity and enrolled into the project,” He added
16 outstanding participants were rewarded with an all-expense paid excursion.
The Fresh Foundation project which kick-started in 2013 have empowered almost 1000 indigent and out of school youth majorly from low income area and informal settlements in Lagos state.