Foundation Moves to Raise Entrepreneurs to Grow Cottage Industries  

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia 

An Abia State based non-profit organisation, the Connak Foundation has launched a programme aimed at raising a new breed of entrepreneurs across the nation as part of programmes to mark its 10th anniversary of its youth empowerment activities.

To realise this vision, the Foundation has launched the Connak Foundation Entrepreneurship Initiative (COFEI) under which well-trained entrepreneurs would emerge from among 500 persons selected from different parts of the country, who are camped for training programme.

The Chief Executive Officer of Connak Foundation, Mrs. Carol Sunday told the participants in the Bootcamp training programme at Trinity Theological College Umuahia that they should grab this opportunity to become better and successful entrepreneurs.

She stated that entrepreneurial development was needed in order to create wealth and boost the nation’s economic development through the emergence of a new breed of entrepreneurs. 

The Bootcamp programme, which commenced at Umuahia is scheduled for three centres – Abia for Southeast/South South, Lagos for South West and Abuja for North. It would be used to groom and impart new knowledge and entrepreneurial skills on the participants.

General Manager, Connak Foundation, Rosemary Etisiame told THISDAY that “doing business in Nigeria is not for the fainthearted” hence the 500 entrepreneurs shortlisted for the camp programme would come out well equipped to drive the economy.

The lead facilitator of the project, Dr Emeka Unachukwu, said that over 8,000 persons from across the nation had registered for the programme and underwent 12 weeks of virtual training and evaluation.

He said that the 500 people that were selected for the Bootcamp stage would, after the training, be required to present and defend their business ideas and plans before a team of experts.