From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
As part of its Youth Entrepreneurship and Empowerment Programme (YEEP), frontline NGO Activate Success International Foundation (ASIF) recently took its entrepreneurship/empowerment leadership series to the orientation camps of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
The programme is one of the foundation’s many efforts to complement the role of the government in the area of youth development and empowerment, through the NYSC Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, organized periodically for every batch of prospective corps members who are undergoing the mandatory orientation exercise.
The event has been held in ten locations across the NYSC Batch B streams I and II in Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Ogun, Benue, Oyo, Enugu and Nasarawa states.
Speaking to newsmen about the event, the Executive Director of the foundation, Love Idoko-Uloko, outlined the vision of the organisation, and its’ successes recorded in the area of youth development.
She stated that the vision of the foundation was borne out of her belief and desire to see that the great potential in every youth is unlocked for maximum productivity so that they can contribute to the nation’s wealth.
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Idoko-Uloko reeled out the activities of the foundation to include among others, periodic lectures for corps members at NYSC orientation Camps, training of corps members to acquire entrepreneurial skills in their areas of interest, empowering of young people who have great business ideas with business grants as start-up capital, and reaching out to women through the INSPIRE THE LADY PROJECT.
She disclosed that the event also had in attendance resource persons from Interswitch operators of Quickteller, Nestle Nigeria Plc, and Arik Air who are all partners with the foundation, sharing useful success tips with the corps members.
“At the F.C.T camp in Kubwa, Comedienne Anita Asuoma (REAL WARRI PIKIN) was also in attendance to scintillate the excited crowd as she kept them on their feet with rib-cracking jokes and performances. In Lagos, the presence of celebrity television host and actor, Uti Nwachukwu who graced the event courtesy of Interswitch and Activate Success International Foundation added a touch of glitz and style to the event.
“The climax of the occasion was the presentation of prizes won through a raffle draw, supervised by Anita Asuoma (Warri Pikin) in F.C.T – Abuja, and Uti Nwachukwu in Lagos.
Lucky corps members at various locations smiled home with cash prizes of various amounts, Powerbank sets, return ARIK AIR tickets, and the star prize of One hundred thousand Naira courtesy of Interswitch.
Idoko-Uloko revealed further that the Grand Prize; an all-expense paid return ticket for two to attend the ONE AFRICA MUSIC FESTIVAL in Dubai will be conducted via an online raffle draw to be held later in the year. Also, grants for business start-ups would be given to deserving corps members too.