The Team Lead, Advocacy Centre for Development, Ibrahim Yusuf, says no fewer than 100 youths have been selected to participate in an empowerment initiative geared towards ensuring self reliance.
Yusuf said the empowerment initiative is organised in conjunction with Science Village, bypass, along Gombe State High Court.
PERISCOPE NIGERIA reports that AC4D is a Community-Based Organisation in Gombe State.
Also, Science Village is a private enterprise that has Kindergarten, Primary, Secondary to College of Nursing.
Speaking about the initiative, Yusuf who is popularly known as 3000 said, “This training is a partnership between Advocacy Centre for Development and Science Village Gombe. The village has a lot of resources and materials as a friend of this institution, we know that their materials are good enough to advocate for philanthropists to come and sponsor candidates that can come and learn.”
The Team Lead disclosed that the training is a sequel to his organisation’s advocacies to individuals with philanthropic gestures, “God so kind, the support came at the right time because students will start their holiday for summer instead of being idle we thought it wise to engage them in four different choices; we have 21st century skills, English and Arabic proficiency, general computer,” Yusuf added.
Speaking further Yusuf noted that the #EndBadGovernanceProtest is an eye opener to the challenges, “there was no one that wasn’t scared of what happened that very day. It’s an indication that a lot of young people don’t have future, or know what they exist for. We want to see how we can support government to make sure that we train and retrain young people. One of the major drivers of young people is idleness. If we can partner with an organisation not government to train 100 people per month that means if we have opportunity we can do more. Before we closed the slot for online registration for the training we received 293 applied and we selected 100 based on physical interview,” he said.
Yusuf urged government to draw roadmap towards youth development.
Also speaking, Director-General Gombe Debt Management, Kabiru Tsoho, harped on the importance of skill acquisition to personal development.
Tsoho who doubles as Falakin Gombe, told our correspondent that he wouldn’t ascribe himself as sponsor but supporter of the programme.
He said, “We have witnessed what happened some days ago (EndBadGovernanceProtest), it’s really an eye opener to those that have capacity to assist and support our youths with skills. We want to cease the opportunity to help our youths, women and vulnerable. It’s not only the government it’s a collective responsibility.”
While urging for rapt attention, Tsoho called on the participants to devote quality time to improving their lots in the future, “take the opportunity with two hands towards becoming better persons,” he added.
Participants commend AC4D, Science Village
Sandra David, serving Corps member in Gombe State lauded the foresight of organisers, saying it will boost self reliance among participants.
She said, “I applied for the 21st century skills am happy to be part of the participants.”
While lauding the initiative, David said the training would afford her the needed opportunity to advance her knowledge adding, “We are in an era where certificate without skill is as good as waste. Each individual has to have one or two things to offer apart from the certificate. The degree is good as it helps you learn the skills better you can’t learn when you are empty.”
On his part, Haruna Mohammed, said “this training will empower me not to depend on government but to have my own skills and increase my self reliance.”
