Mmaigbo Empowerment Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, has empowered a large number of competent youths who signed up for its skill-acquisition training programmes.
The foundation organised the second empowerment and skills expo, which took place on Wednesday in Awka.
The program’s beneficiaries, who came from the five igbo-speaking states of Anambra, Imo, Abia, Enugu, and Ebonyi, received training in a variety of entrepreneurship skills.
As a recipient of free skill training, Mr. Uzo Ekemezie, the founder of the Mmaigbo Empowerment Foundation, claimed that he was motivated to found the organization.
He said that some of the recipients received training in areas like agricultural and poultry farming, fashion designing, clothing production, confectionary and bakery production, soap production, and web design and hosting.
Others obtained skills in printing, film editing, cinematography, photography, creating shoes, makeup, hair barbering, and hair styling, among other things.
According to Ekemezie, the organisation is dedicated to preserving and promoting the Igbo people’s traditional history, values, and sense of honour.
He noted with concern that some young people today engage in odd lifestyles, despite the fact that Igbo people are by nature very hardworking and enterprising.
According to him, “certain teenagers now engage in crimes such armed robbery, cyber/internet fraud, also known as “yahoo-yahoo,” money ritual, kidnapping, and prostitution.
He claimed that youth involvement in such anti-social behaviour was negatively damaging society.
“We decided to establish this foundation as a a way of re-orienting the youths through skills, because when one is meaningfully engaged, he/she will see crime as less attractive.
Ekemezie who said that the foundation partnered with some individuals for the empowerment, added that the group remained open to work with more groups.
Ms Diana Ndigwe, a guest, told journalists that massive training of Nigeria youths in skills was a solution toward addressing the high unemployment and crime wave in the country.
“I am here because I share the vision with Ekemezie that acquisition of skills by our youths is imperative to checking crime and unemployment,” Ndigwe said.
Miss Linda Onu, a beneficiary of the Empowerment from Umunze, Orumba South Area, trained on hair dressing thanked the foundation for the humanitarian spirit to alleviate ordinary people from poverty.
“It was through the radio that I heard about the Mmaigbo Empowerment Foundation programme and enrolled, today I thank God that I am among the lucky ones that are been empowered,” she said.(NAN)
