IBADAN – Miss Abiola Abiade, the Executive Director, Human of Substance Empowerment Initiative(HOSEI), an NGO, said on Saturday that only youths with different vocational skills would survive economic hardship.
Abiade said this in Ibadan at the graduation ceremony of 20 youths sponsored by the NGO on a three-month vocational training programme.
Abiade, who is also the founder of HOSEI, said the organisation was ready to contribute its quota toward women and girl child empowerment.
She said the training, which were jointly organised by HOSEI and the Mother and Girl Child Initiative (MAGI), another NGO, would help in mitigating the impact of poverty among beneficiaries.
She advised the graduands not to relent on their efforts but to make good use of the opportunity given them.
“Youths these days do not get white-collar jobs when they graduate from college. You have been empowered with various skills that can put food on your table.
“This is not to say you should not strive to pursue university degrees. That should be your ultimate vision for now.
“The combination of your skills with a good university degree will make you survive in this austere time,” she said.
The Chairperson of MAGI, Alhaja Tawa Malik, congratulated the graduands for completing the programme.
She explained that MAGI was engaged in sensitising women and the girl child against societal ills such as human trafficking.
Malik enjoined the graduands to make good use of the opportunity offered to them through the programme.
Also speaking, the Oyo State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Atinuke Oshunkoya, thanked the two NGOs for organising the programme.
The commissioner was represented by Mr Kazeem Adekola, the Director of Poverty Alleviation in the ministry. (NAN)
