American NGo boosts youth, women empowerment
one outfit which is currently embarking on massive grassroots programmes targetting the nation’s teeming youths has already started receiving attention from many quarters due to its diverse youth empowerment programmes in Nigeria generally and the north in particular. It is the Opportunities Industrialisation Centres International, OICI. The organisation which is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA […]
one outfit which is currently embarking on massive grassroots programmes targetting the nation’s teeming youths has already started receiving attention from many quarters due to its diverse youth empowerment programmes in Nigeria generally and the north in particular. It is the Opportunities Industrialisation Centres International, OICI. The organisation which is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA says its primary mission is ‘to improve the quality of life of low income, disadvantaged individuals in developing countries through the provision of sustainable human resource development training and services.’ For over 35 years of its existence its primary focus has been the training of the socially disadvantaged and economically under privileged youth which is evident in many countries around the globe today.
At present, the organisation is working in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, on a 5 year duration assess-design-implement framework project aimed at deliberately empowering a new set of youthful entrepreneurs who will bring innovation, competition and global thought patterns into Nigeria which will enhance the country’s surge towards economic breakthrough in the 21st century. The programme which is tagged Entrepreneurship and Business Development Centre, EDC project is currently being pioneered in the North western part of the country for starters. Apart from youths economically disadvantaged, women are being targeted through the intervention.
The first EDC project was spearheaded in the city of Kano. Since then the same project has been replicated in other northern states which include Jigawa, Katsina, Kaduna and Zamfara. Organisers say that there are plans in top gear to extend the same benefits to two other states: Kebbi and Sokoto.
Hajiya Hadiza Uwani Aliyu, state programme coordinator said the components of the project which separate it from other such interventions in the past, include services and trainings meant to make youths and women self dependent. These components include leadership training, entrepreneurship development training, business development services, short term vocational training, community service, information technology, micro finance linkages and monitoring and evaluation strategies. She added that since the inception of the project in the Zamfara development centre for instance, counselling and information on free term basis have been provided for persons, groups, associations and ministries noting that a total of 884 have been counselled out of which 314 were trained, 35 direct and indirect jobs were created and 11 business ventures expanded.
Efforts to boost the activities of the organisation have also been on the increase with many private and public establishments such as Garewa Empowerment Scheme Tsafe which sponsored and empowered 20 male and female participants, Hajiya Fatima Entrepreneurship Foundation, 40 participants, Maryam Ahmed 50, trainees and Moriki Empowerment Scheme 50 women.
The training and empowerment packages were on technology, welding, carpentry and sundry business entrepreneurships. Other supporters of the programme include ministries such as, Commerce and Industry, Women and Children Affairs, Establishment, Rural development and Cooperatives, NDE, SMEDAN, NAPEP, and CBN to mention just a few.
“Our challenges however include that of office location. Following the advertisement jingles on radio and T.V., people have been trooping in but are complaining of distance and this is affecting patronage and training. There is also government bureaucracy. Lack of access to officials of government is hindering our progress. There are limited financial institutions willing to partner with the OICI/CBN/EDC project and of course there is the high interest rate for those that agree. Finally there is the unwillingness of some wealthy members of the communities to sponsor individuals and groups for training,” said Hajiya Hadiza Aliyu.