AGBEDE YOUTH FORUM PARTNERS ‘LEARN TO EARN’ PROJECT, TRAINS OVER 200 AGBEDE OLOSUGBO YOUTHS IN IKORODU NORTH LCDA ®™√ INN Nigeria ©

More than 200 youths and adults in the Agbede-Olosugbo community, Ikorodu North LCDA are undergoing skill acquisition training in commemoration of the International Youth Day 2022.

The empowerment program which is a collaborative effort between the Agbede youth forum and ‘Learn To Earn’ Project is also supported by the joint community development committee (CDC) and the Baale of the town.

Present at the training centre on the 5th of August 2022, Ikorodu News Network (INN) gathered that the acquisition exercise will be stretched across two weeks (i.e from the 1st) to crescendo on the 14th of August with a graduation ceremony for all successful participants.

According to Mike Ibikunle (Project director, Learn To Earn Project), the program is all about occupying and empowering the minds of the youths, engaging them to prepare for a challenging future.

“Since one cannot give what they don’t have, this program is poise to bring out the inner potential of our young ones, we’re here to let them know that before they can earn anything in life, they must first learn about it”.

“The pathway to success is learning before earning, and we’re using this program to work together with both the youth forum and CDC to target the grassroots, fully aware that social vices can only see the light of day based on idle youths scattered around the neighbourhood”.

“Learn to Earn is just a catalyst for the people to discover their skills, not only that, we also engage them to induce a mental shift on financial literacy, which will help them to thrive after possessing the required skillsets” Mr Ibikunle affirmed.

The Baale of Olosugbo-land Agbede, Chief Tajudeen Sokale, admired the communal ambition for conveying such a ground-breaking undertaking in the community, broadening that he knew the level of impact such orientation would entail, which was why the palace was offered to be utilized for the activity.

Mrs Oluwakemi Fashola, Skincare, pedicure and nails department instructor and Learn To Earn Coordinator, buttress further on Mr Ibikunle’s notion, also crediting the Agbede youth forum for working tirelessly to ensure the alliance comes to fruition.

She proceeded, “This initiative is about taking poverty out of the community, not everyone will end up becoming a salary earner or have a white collar job, that’s why we’re using this program to illuminate craftiness”.

“Presently, we have registered over 200 youths in the Fabric souvenirs & tie/dye department, Catering & event decoration department, Graphics and photography department, Barbers department, Online investment, Make-Up Gele & Hair Styling department and Home essentials department”.

“It should be noted that the ‘Learn To Earn’ project is a product of Sola Essence & Espail group, and training is free” She added.

Adebajo Oladele Ademola from the Agbede youth forum later stated that the rising cases of social guilt among youths in the neighbourhood prompted the forum to set up the empowerment scheme.

“Some individuals are already swivelled by the anguish to get money at all costs, but for the ones coming up, we need to keep their focus and guide them to become productive residents”.

“We’re doing this program to enhance their craftiness and make them valuable because we know that if they become useful, the community becomes beneficial, but if they fail? then our community has languished too”.

“The youth forum has a lot of members but when it comes to organising activities for the community, Mr Taiwo Ogunbajo, Mrs Sanni EdagbagbeOluwaranti Bilikis and I are the key individuals from the forum activating such moves with support from Mr Niran, CDC Chairman Ikorodu North LCDA and Alhaji Hussain (Chairman, Agbede Joint CDA)” Ademola surmised.

Speaking on behalf of the 9 communities in Agbede, Pastor Akin Adejumo, joint-treasurer of the Agbede community urged stakeholders to key into the empowerment program, pursuing paths to sustain such a positive course for the benefit of all residents.

“If you have the knowledge, whatever you acquire cannot be taken away from you no matter where you go in life, that’s why I see this program as a laudable project to help our youths”.

“Obviously, in the end, some youths will prosper out of it, because it’s all about giving your all to realise results from the process and make ends meet”.

“As stakeholders, we will go back to our drawing board to scheme out better ways to mentor these youths and further aid them to become profitable ambassadors” Pst. Adejumo inferred.