Corps members should rise above the challenges created by lack of adequate employment and embrace the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development, SAED, programme of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, in order to conquer the world.
The state coordinator of the NYSC in Ondo State, Mrs. Victoria Ani, made the call on Tuesday when she declared open the SAED activities for 2021 Batch ‘A’ (Stream II) service year.
Ani said that NYSC came up with the programme in 2012 when the rate of unemployment was rising among Nigerians graduates and in some cases, the job seekers lacked the practical skills to compete for the available jobs in the Nigerian economy.
“This troubling situation to closing the identified gaps made the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme to build capacity of corps members to gain the required entrepreneurship and hands-on skills to cope with the challenges of unemployment and global socio-economic down turn,” she said.
According to her, the NYSC SAED mandate was to contribute meaningfully to the attainment of the SDG which was about the reduction of extreme poverty and hunger, among others.
“My dear corps members, I want to let you know that the present situation should be used as a stepping stone to achieve greatness in life. You should not resign to fate because unemployment is higher in the land but grab this golden opportunity of SAED and key-in into it.
“Your predecessors took to our golden advice and today, they have good testimonies to share. Besides this, many have become owners of small and medium scale enterprises, courtesy NYSC,” she said.
She disclosed that SAED department had created opportunities for financing of corps’ business proposal through many channels.
“NYSC through Unity Bank is funding bankable business proposal competition aimed at improving the ability of corps members and bridge the gap in the quality of bankable business proposals. Unity Bank is bank-rolling an enterprise development programme titled ‘Corpreneurship’ in the NYSC orientation camps which will offer a sandwich training and competition, leading to award of business funds as prizes.
“British America Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) has bankrolled a programme of agro-entrepreneurial training where corps members who emerge from a competitive process, undergo training and mentoring in big farm establishments, and are empowered with money, land, agricultural inputs and services to the tune of N5m, N3m and N1.5m respectively,” she said.
The state coordinator announced that NYSC had also concluded the details of a partnership with Leventis Foundation Nigeria for a pilot programme during the ongoing orientation course in 12 selected orientation camps.
Earlier, the Head of Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development, SAED, programme on camp, Mrs. Olubunmi Ayodele thanked Ani for her unflinching support to the programme as well as the sponsors for identifying with the event.
Ayodele tasked the corps members to see the programme as an avenue to rewrite their stories and become sought after entrepreneurs and captains of industries.
In her goodwill message, the Camp Director, Mrs. Itohan Ehimwenma encouraged the corps members to make the sacrifice today for a better tomorrow.
“You need to develop your commitment above mere interest but be passionate about it so that you will have assurance that whatever you invested will come back to you in multiple fold,” she said.
Highlights of the events included sharing testimonies by serving corps members of what they had gained and achieved through the programme and which had transformed their lives and make them independent.
