ENDIP trains 70 youths, PWDs on entrepreneurship skills, empowers 8 finalists with N2.4m

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By Iheanyi Chukwudi

Determined to enhance economic growth and empower young individuals, Entrepreneurial Development Initiative (ENDIP) has in Enugu, trained 70 participants including youths and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) on enterprise development and employability skills.

The non governmental organization (NGO) also awarded grants totalling N2.4 million, with eight finalists receiving N300,000 each to support their business endeavours.

ENDIP, which is the implementing partner disclosed that the initiative is part of a broader strategy to up youth-led business enterprises, funded by the British Council in partnership with Kings Trust International under the Sustainable Enterprise Challenge Programme (SECP).

The training program the NGO further said is designed to equip participants with the education, skills, and knowledge necessary to navigate challenges and thrive in the business world.

The Executive Director, Mrs. Lilian Ari, who spoke during the business pitching and closing ceremony, underlined the objective of the initiative to empower youths in scaling their business ideas and acquiring essential entrepreneurship training.

Represented by the Programme Coordinator, Mr. Godsgift Sunday, Mrs Ari said, "Currently, we are implementing the Sustainable Enterprise Challenge Programme (SECP), in Enugu, where we have trained 70 participants in enterprise development and employability skills.

We are witnessing the final day where 8 participants have emerged from a competitive process to be awarded grants of N300,000:00 each to support their business growth and expansion.

This is the second training programme that we have done. We trained 60 participants and empowered 8 finalists with N250,000:00 grant during our pilot phase, and now, we trained 70 participants and awarded N300,000:00 grant to each of the 8 participants.

I am very sure we are going to scale up the programme because we are seeing success and there is need for the programme to spread here in Enugu, so they should look out for social media because there will be a lot of communication when that programme is out for them to apply."

The programme is funded by the British Council in partnership with King’s Trust International; while we, ENDIP, are the delivery partner.

Director of Programmes, British Council, Mr. Chikodi Onyemerela, in his remarks said that the Sustainable Enterprise Challenge Programme is one of the British Council's non-formal education portfolios, aimed at supporting young people's aspirations and forging a course in their livelihood.

Onyemerela who is also the Chairman of the Board of Directors, British Council , Nigeria, the programmes are aimed at meeting the very needs of young people in terms of career aspirations and as well as social inclusion and environmental sustainability.

He said, "Helping young people to attain self-fulfilment to sustainable livelihood, equipping them to be agent of social inclusion and change and also giving them the necessary skill to address the challenges of 21st century.

British Council and Kings Trust International are partners who have come together to maximizing resources to help young people. We started in Nigeria to help spread across sub-Saharan Africa to help young people achieve their life expectations and career aspirations."

One of the beneficiaries, Ozor Augustine Nnamdi, commended ENDIP for giving them extensive training, describing it as an eye opener.

Nnamdi, who is a visually-impaired piggery farmer, said, "I went into business thinking that I know what I was doing, but when I started the training, i found out that I don't know anything. In the process, I learnt about smart goals and SWOT analysis."