Beneficiaries of Anambra's 'one youth, two skills' programme mark young people day with Mrs Soludo,

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By Madu Obi

Beneficiaries of the 'one youth two skills' programme instituted by the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State have been testifying about the success of the programme as the world marks young people day.

The "one youth, two skills" initiative is a flagship youth empowerment and skills acquisition programme that trains young people in dual vocational skills, pairs them with mentorship, and provides startup grants to them.

Under the programme, the youths learn at least two distinct marketable skills or a combination of modern vocational training and traditional apprenticeship.

The key sectors cover agriculture, ICT, fashion design, craft, catering, and technical trades, while the participants undergo apprenticeship, entrepreneurship training, cooperative formation, business financing, and one-year post-training mentoring.

Under the first phase, over 5000 youths were empowered with ₦2 billion in seed capital, while in the second phase, over 8,300 beneficiaries were supported with ₦3.5 billion in startup cash grants disbursed across the 21 local government areas of the state.

Some of the beneficiaries who spoke said that with the government's assistance, they have become millionaires in their own rights.

To celebrate with them on the young people today, the wife of the governor, Dr. Nonye Soludo urged them to remember that their voices matter.

In her message, Mrs Soludo said: "Your ideas matter, and your dreams really matter. You have a place in the future you are hoping for, and you also have a role in creating it.

"To every young person out there trying to figure life out, chasing a dream, starting again after a setback, or simply doing their best to make it through each day, the world sees you, and I believe in you.

"Your journey may not look like someone else’s. You may not have everything figured out yet, but you must keep learning, keep growing, keep showing up. The small steps you take today can become the foundation for something extraordinary tomorrow."