Not less than 600 youths in Kaduna State have graduated from a free skills acquisition and empowerment program organised by the Mercy Angel Foundation, an outreach arm of the Restoration Bible Church, to promote self-reliance and reduce unemployment.
The graduation ceremony, held on Saturday in Kaduna, brought together traditional rulers, religious leaders, and community stakeholders, with beneficiaries drawn from Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Chikun Local Government Area, and surrounding communities.
Founder of the foundation, Rev. Tunde Bolanta, said the program was designed to equip young people with practical, marketable skills that would enable them to become economically independent and productive. He explained that the initiative is part of an 18-month empowerment project aimed at addressing youth unemployment, poverty, and social vices.
Graduates were trained in vocational areas including fashion design, baking, bead-making, hairdressing, soap making, phone and computer repairs, among other skills relevant to everyday needs.
Bolanta disclosed that the program is offered free of charge and currently has over 1,200 youths enrolled across different batches, with about 600 completing the latest phase. He added that similar training sessions were ongoing in Kaduna North, with another graduation planned in collaboration with the Ashafa Foundation and community leaders.
He noted that while the foundation could not provide start-up equipment for all graduates due to limited resources, a small loan scheme had been introduced to support selected beneficiaries. He also called on individuals and organisations to support youth empowerment efforts in the state.
Also speaking, Sheikh Nuraini Ashafa, Co-Coordinator of the Interfaith Mediation Centre, Kaduna, commended the initiative, describing skills acquisition as a practical tool for promoting peace and social cohesion in the state.
In her remarks, Dr. Tina Bolanta urged beneficiaries to put the skills acquired to immediate use, stressing the importance of combining education with vocational competence.
The event ended with goodwill messages and the distribution of start-up kits to selected graduates.
