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From Jude Chinedu, Enugu
The Helpers Social Development Foundation (HSDF) has concluded plans to float Helpers Foundation community development centre, a skills acquisition centre aimed at empowering young people, women and youths in Enugu State and beyond.
The Co-founder of the foundation, Chidi Okeke, who revealed this while taking our reporter round the facility which would house the initiative, said that beneficiaries would be equipped with different digital skills which would liberate them from poverty, adding that admission into the digital skill acquisition programme would be free of charge for all.
He said, “The initiative was formed to reduce unemployment rate and eradicate poverty in Nigeria. Since Helpers Social Development Foundation started in 2016, we have been working to ensure that we reduce the number of out of school children and empower our people through skills.
“The initiative we want to start now which is the skills acquisition programme at Amauzam Ugwuaji Enugu State is to empower young people and women to learn digital skills because we believe that information technology is the future.
“Once we empower unemployed Nigerians, this will help to eradicate the challenges the state and Federal government encounter while fighting against poverty.
Helpers Social Development Foundation was established with the aim to reach unreached. We believe that the government cannot do it alone. That was why the Helpers Social Development Foundation was established.
“Helpers Social Development Foundation hopes to partner with passionate individuals, local and international organizations to achieve its mission in Africa starting from Nigeria.
“The centre will train people from all backgrounds irrespective of their gender or race. The construction work at the centre is already at an advanced stage,” he said.
While revealing that the centre would become operational this month, March 2024, Okeke extolled the contribution of The Solar Foundation to the success of the project. He said that The Solar Foundation donated solar systems which would ensure that there is 24-hour power supply for an efficient running of the centre.
“There is no way you can train people on IT without electricity. When you look round the facility you see that there is no electricity in this community and The Solar Foundation came in to bridge that gap by donating solar system and computers to empower the centre. They also donated computer sets which would be used at the centre.
On the area where beneficiaries would be trained, Okeke said that, “Our core focus is on IT, such as website development, software development, graphics design, digital marketing, blogging, content creation, and other initiatives.
“Apart from digital skills programmes for youth and women, our goal is to collaborate with organizations to train our people in different skills programmes such as paint making, fashion design, bakery, event management and other soft skills to become their own bosses.
“We plan to take this initiative to other states. Helpers Social Development Foundation remains one of the foundations in Nigeria empowering young people, youth and women through skills programmes.
