NGO Donates Empowerment Items to Kogi Youths 

Yekini Jimoh in Lokoja
A non-governmental organisation (NGO), Princess Falade Ademujimi Iyalode Youth and Women Empowerment Programme (PFAIYWEP), has empowered 42 youths and many women in Kogi State.

The founder of the NGO, Princess Florence Falade, disclosed this yesterday at the 10th anniversary celebration of her chieftancy title as the “Iyalode of Ejiba Land” in Ejiba, Yagba West Local Government Area (LGA) of the State.

Falade who is also the Yeye-Laje of Okun Land, said the gesture was to reduce the suffering of the jobless youths, women and vulnerable people living in abject poverty.

“I have lived all my life in the UK, but I thought deeply on how to be assisting the poor people back home in Nigeria.

“In 2008, I decided to be donating 500 bags (50 kilogrammes) of rice quarterly across Yagba, during Easter, Yam festival and Christmas celebrations.

“We spend about N15 million yearly to empower the poor across Yagba land in skills acquisition, and donating tools, equipment, and foodstuffs.

“Today, we are also giving certificate of competence to 42 less privilege youths who had been trained for three months on bead making and empowered.

“We have trained hundreds of youths and empowered them to have their own businesses and become employers of labour. Some will also be trained on adire attire.

“We have also been giving cash donation of N20, 000 to empower traders and artisans in groups which comprise 20 people per group.

“I hate to see people suffering;  I love assisting and putting smiles on people’s faces, especially the less- privileged.

“We are focusing on the jobless youths, donating foodstuffs to women, widows, physically challenged persons, orphans among others,” Falade said.

“You can buy bead materials of N5, 000 to design a product that you can sell for N12, 000, and N4, 000 materials and sell the designed products for N10, 000 to N11, 000,” she explained.

Falade promised to establish a vocational and technical training institute in Yagba, which will be fully equipped to train people on various skills with competent trainers and instructors.

“I have also sponsored and promoted many musicians from Okun land who are doing very well today,” she added.

She urged other privileged Nigerians to reach out to the less privileged no matter how small it might be, saying, “the best investment in life is human investment.”

She, however, appealed to the government at all levels to synergise and establish a vocational and skills acquisition centre in each local government across Nigeria.

In his remarks, the Elejiba of Ejiba Land, His Royal Highness, Dr Samuel Olamonjin, commended Falade for touching the lives of youths and women through her empowerment programmes.

“We are showing our appreciation to the princess for her generosity and that we know her value in this community,” the monarch said.