NGO EMPOWERS IDPs WITH BASIC BUSINESS TRAINING AND START- UP GRANTS.
At the YARAC 2020 skills acquisition program
ERDOO DUE
The 15th day of July, 2020 witnessed another milestone and trumpets of joy for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Benue State as Youth, Adolescent Reflection and Action Centre (YARAC) left indelible smiles on the faces of the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) of Abagena camp as 200 of them earlier trained for three months in skills acquisition and 73 of them in first batch empowered with Basic Business Training (BBT) and Grants to enable them set up. According to the Programme Officer YARAC, Iorshenge Michael “300 Youth from the Abagena IDPs camp were selected and trained in areas of tailoring, hair dressing, barbing and welding but due to the 75% attendance criteria used for screening only 200 have successfully emerged worthy of the grant and certification being the first of its kind in Benue State.”
HRH Damsa Vincent (District Head Nyiev) performing a function at the event
The event which took place at Holy Ghost Parish Hall Makurdi, Benue State had in attendance the Director of YARAC Duke Ogbureke, HRH Damsa Vincent (District Head Nyiev), John Batu (Business consultant), James Iorkyaa who stood in for the Executive Secretary, Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA), beneficiaries, amidst a host of others in strict compliance with the COVID-19 protocols.
In a welcome address by the Director of YARAC, Duke Ogbureke, appreciated the camp members for availing themselves for the training and their Partners; Development and Peace Canada for the sponsorship. In his words “Today marks International Youth skill Day and it is a good thing this has coincided with the event of certification and grants disbursement to our trained IDPs, stating that, YARAC distributed food items to the IDPs last year in enormous quantity, today it has enhanced and empowered youth to optimize their capacity, it is also working tirelessly in providing psycho-social support, treatment of malnourished children and making efforts towards distribution of seeds to the IDPs aimed at improving home steady farming by members of the camp. For me, this is like scratching the surface because the problems faced by the farmers are enormous”, he explained.
He reiterated that the reason for the initiative is to build and empower a capacity of 600 of most vulnerable members of the camp while pledging YARAC’s continuous support and also called on government to try in ensuring that these IDPs return to their homes.
The Basic Business Trainer John Batu while speaking on the importance of establishing a business encouraged the beneficiaries to make sure the grant given them is invested in the business they have been trained for no matter how small rather than spending the money on clothes and other things that will not attract more income for them.
HRH Vincent Damsa the District Head of Nyiev and Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA) in their good will messages all appreciated YARAC for looking at the direction of the vulnerable members of the society and encouraged the IDPs to keep focus in order not to waste the opportunity given them while Government continues to work out modalities on how the IDPs can return to their homes.
Some Beneficiaries
Beneficiaries like Emmanuel Tyobee and Felicia Swende among others, expressed so much joy and willingness to nurture their business into a big one and thanked YARAC for the opportunity. While , Aondona Iorapuu Programme Coordinator of YARAC appreciated the trainers and all the IDPs who took part in the 3months training and hopes the skills learnt will enhance the lives of their families and host communities while reducing their vulnerability to social vices and enhancing economic potential and prayed journey mercies for them back to the camp.
Highlights of the event was distribution of certificates and grant support to the beneficiaries.
