From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
The Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises-Niger Delta (LIFE-ND), an International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) project, said it was earmarking about 4,250 women and youths for livelihood empowerment in the next six years in Edo.
Engineer, Sanni Abiodun, the National Coordinator of, LIFE-ND project disclosed this during the IFAD mission inspection to incubation centers in Uhumwode, Orhionmwon and Ikpoba-Okha local government area of the state.
Abiodun said the LIFE-ND project has so far trained about 500 youths adding that, the project was expected to train about 1,500 women, youths and the vulnerable in the society by the end of 2022.
“” Our mission here today is to basically give assurance to the selected incubatees that have been selected for the programme that government is ready to support them to become entrepreneurs
and create wealth for themselves.
“We are focusing on the women and youths. We are training and giving them working capital to practice their mentorship.
” After their mentorship, the project will support by giving them necessary financial inclusion incentives to establish their businesses.
“The project is equally supporting the incubators, who are the trainers providing technical services to the incubatees,” he said.
He added that the mission was impressed about the passion and dedication of the incubatees towards their chosen trade.
According to him, the programme is part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s efforts to ensure that the youths were gainfully employed.
Also speaking, the IFAD Nigeria country Programme Manager, Patrick Habamenshi said the programme was designed to support young people to build their capacity to become entrepreneurs.
“As you can see some are into poultry, fishery and farming. So each year, they will have the capacity to start their own business and be self employed.
” In Edo State, we have about 250 young people and we hope that we will increase to 1000 capacity in the near future and it will continue to grow.
According to him, the LIFE-ND programme is currently running in Edo and five other states in the south South.
” I am very impressed. We started today, with a visit to some fish farmers. I am impressed with these incubators patience to train this young people.
“It really take a lot to educate young people. They have accepted to do it and it is going very well. I am also impressed with the spirit they displayed.
“Everywhere we went, the young people are motivated. They wake up early morning and leave here in the evening, for so many months and they do not give up,” Habamenshi said.
Mrs Stella-Maris Olounomen who spoke to newmen on behalf of the incubatees, thanked the IFAD mission to Edo for the opportunity to participate in the capacity building programme.
Among the incubation centers visited included, Utesi Fish Cluster in Ikpoba-Okha, Mr Fish Aisosa Fish Farm in Urhokhosa community in Uhumwode local government area of the state and Igbito Nig. Ltd Poultry Farm among others.