AfriPulse
No fewer than 436 vulnerable youths in the FCT have acquired new skills and start-up kits from the Youth Entrepreneurship Development and Empowerment Scheme (YEDES), an initiative of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja.
The annual programme, implemented by the Justice, Development and Peace Caritas Initiative (JDPCI), an agency of the Catholic Church, features training in fashion, catering, poultry/fish farming, Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, cybersecurity, inverter installation, graphic design, and web/application development.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that since its inception in 2022, the programme has provided beneficiaries with ovens, gas cylinders, chicks and poultry feeds, sewing machines and other items as start-up kits.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the 2025 edition, the Executive Director of JDPCI, Rev. Fr. Sebastian Sanni, urged the beneficiaries to be good ambassadors of JDPCI and its sponsor, the Catholic Relief Services (CRS).
“Take time to build, if you want to go far, do not look for shortcut. If you look for shortcut, shortcut will cut you short.
“Please take time to build. I have confidence in all of you that you will succeed. Go out there, be confident in yourself and be confident in what you do.
“I also want to make a very passionate appeal that after now, get a business name and register with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and get a complimentary card,” he said.
Sanni also called for partnership with the government, saying meaningful development could be achieved when the state works closely with the church, which is closest to the people.
Also speaking, the Programmes Director of JDPCI, Mr Timothy Ejeh, said the initiative was designed to strengthen the skills and financial security of vulnerable youths in Abuja.
“I am proud to announce that, to date, we have empowered more than 436 youths across our Archdiocese.
“In this fourth phase alone, we trained over 56 youths from four deaneries of the eight deaneries in the Archdiocese of Abuja.
“They were in Agro-entrepreneurship, catering services and fashion design, equipping them with essential skills that will not only sustain them but transform them into wealth creators.
“One of the highlights of this phase is the provision of start-up kits to 56 trainees.
“This marks a significant improvement from previous years, both in terms of the number of kits distributed and the increased support provided for transportation.
“We are deeply encouraged by this progress and are grateful to our partner, Catholic Relief Services for making this possible,” he said.
According to him, an impact assessment revealed that about 62 per cent of the trained youths are thriving in their respective trades, a clear testament to the effectiveness of the programme.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr Usman Salihu, urged the graduands to apply their skills effectively.
Represented by the Assistant Director, Special Projects, Mr Gabriel Omadewu, Salihu said the benefactors would be most pleased when the acquired skills translated into gainful employment, self-employment and national development.
Also speaking, the Country Representative of CRS, Mr Akim Kikonda, said CRS was proud to partner with JDPCI to enhance the financial security of youths in Abuja.
Represented by the Head of Programmes, Ms Lucy Amadon, Kikonda said the initiative reflected the visionary leadership of Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama to empower young people, particularly in underserved communities.
One of the beneficiaries, Ms Monica Tyoshie, narrated how the programme helped her sustain her passion after struggling with a low-paying job following her NYSC in 2023.
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Source: TribuneOnlineNG | Read the Full Story…
