Foundation trains 500 women, youths in Benue

From: Rose Ejembi, Makurdi

A Benue-based nongovernmental organisation, Nwaudo Foundation has trained 500 women and youths in different skills and provided them with start up kits to set up their own business.

President of the Foundation and Proprietor of Nwaudo Football Club, Uchendu Ikechukwu, who disclosed this to our correspondent at his farm in Gboko, Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State, said the Foundation trained the 500 beneficiaries in the last four years.

He noted that the foundation which was born out of his desire to contribute his own quota to the development of the country had in the last four years, trained women and youths in computer, barbing, farming as well as encouraged young boys in the game of football through his football club.

Said he,  “I decided to set up this Foundation to reach out to the needy especially the less privileged women and youths. I started this project in 2013 and because I had no money, I had to sell off my father’s land in Okija, Anambra State to start the Foundation.

“And since then , I have not looked back as I have continued to train hundreds of women and youths in different skills after which we set them up with start up kits so that they can be self reliant.”

While commending President Muhammadu Buhari for his giant strides in the area of encouraging Nigerians to be self-reliant, Ikechukwu urged the federal government to partner with his Foundation so that he can expand his reach to more beneficiaries.

He stated that this year alone, he had engaged over 70 women and youths to work in his soya bean and cassava farms and paid them adding that by next year, he plans to go into rice and groundnut farming as a way of expanding the project.

He continued,  “That is why I am appealing to government to come to our aid and support us to build up the youths who are the leaders of tomorrow because the essence of the project is to empower women and youths.

“My dream is to contribute my own quota to the development of the country in line with the policy of President Muhammadu Buhari and that is why I am calling on the federal government to partner with us in this project to move the country forward,” he said.