IYD: NGO Explains Decision to Train, Empower Youths
Paschal Emeka, Abuja
An Abuja based Non Governmental Organisation, (NGO), Takem Empowerment Initiatives, (TEIs), has explained that the decision to train and empower some youths in the country, is informed by the groups passion to contribute its quota in curbing the rising cases unemployment and economic hardship amongst greater population of youths in the country.
The NGO has been training and empowering youths and graduates with starter packs at completion of their training.
Dr (Mrs) Adewumi, the President of the NGO, who is also the woman leader, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Traders, made the explanation when she addressed journalists in Abuja, during an event organised to mark the 2023 International Youth Day (IYD), with the theme: Green Skills for Youths, Towards a Sustainable World.
Commenting on this year’s theme and throwing more light on why her NGO has taken interest in the youths, Chief (Mrs) Adewumi attributed youth restiveness that has been the order of the day in some countries to idleness, caused by inadequate training, education and empowerment by governments.
She described an idle mind as the devil’s workshop, and linked the progress and development the Western world is enjoying to adequate training and educational system their governments adopted which deliberately tailored to address youths empowerment.
She also observed that countries like China and India have also joined their Western counterparts, having been making adequate plans for the youth.
She appealed to the governments at all levels in Nigeria to as a matter of importance and seriousness, make education at all levels free or affordable. She also suggested opening up workshops where youths would receive vocational training, and empowered at the end of their trainings.
All these, she believed would go a long way to address problems of among others, youth reativeness.
She called on governments at all levels, companies, the rich in the society, the well – to – do, people of goodwill and other stakeholders, to do more in empowering the youths.
Dr. Mrs Adewumi noted that most of the people her NGO trained and empowered are doing well.
she informed that some of them have also trained and empowered other youths, who according to her are equally dong well.
IYD is observed annually on August 12th with the goal of raising awareness on different issues affecting young people across the world.
In 1965 the United Nations General Assembly began to make a concerted effort to impact the youth. They endorsed the Declaration on the Promotion among Youth of the Ideals of Peace, Mutual Respect and Understanding between Peoples.
They began devoting time and resources to empower the youth by recognizing up-and-coming leaders and offering them resources to meet the needs of the world.
