NGO encourages self-employment for Bauchi women, youths

NGO encourages self-employment for Bauchi women, youths

*Says no country can provide government jobs for all its citizens

Worried about the rate of unemployment in the country, an NGO, Mafita Women and Youth Development Initiative (MWYDI), has challenged women and youths in Bauchi State to seek self-employment rather than waiting for government jobs.

Chairperson of the organisation, Mrs Theresa Orude, gave the advice during a one-day business summit organised for women and youth in Miri community, Bauchi Local Government Area of Bauchi State, on Monday.

She said the summit was to stimulate and motivate women and youth to become aware of the potentials that lie within them and utilize them for their benefit and that of the society

Orude observed that the high level of unemployment in the country rather than creating anxiety and hopelessness should be a wake-up call to women and youth to think out of the box.

“We must realize that no country can provide jobs for all its citizens as such you must start thinking of setting their own businesses or companies to add value to the system. This is a reality that Nigerians must come to terms with,” she told participants.

She observed that although thousands of Nigerians graduate from higher institutions in the country every year, most all cannot be employed by the government.

“The best thing for any sensible woman or youth to do in the current scenario is to learn a business or a vocation to survive”

She said that Mafita was born out of the desire to motivate women and young persons to shun idleness and take advantage of available opportunities to engage in viable business or vocation.

“We have discovered that many housewives are not doing anything at home and depend solely on their husbands.

“The few women and youth that are engaged in business are struggling because they lack the requisite skills to grow the business or expand it.

“Mafita is coming with the goal to fill that gap through the creation of awareness of potentials that women and youth carry and how they can exploit these God-given gifts and opportunities to start and become employers of labour,” she said.

Orude thanked the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in the state for supporting and encouraging the vision of Mafita to reach out to more women and youth in the state.

She disclosed that Mafita will train and empower women and youth in the state to start and grow their businesses.

She called on well-meaning Nigerians and philanthropists to support Mafita in its quest to reach out to women and youths in order to reduce poverty and promote peace among communities.

In his remarks, the Director of NOA in the state, Dr Nura Kobi, commended Orude for setting up Mafita to create awareness and sensitise women and youth on how to be self-employed.

Kobi who was represented by Mrs Mary Keffas Magaji, the deputy Director of NOA in the state, stated that Mafita has well-tailored aims and objectives that will empower women and youth in the state.

He called on women and youth in the state to take advantage of the opportunities in the community to create wealth by becoming self-reliant.

The NOA Director reiterated the commitment of the agency to partner with Mafita women and Youth Development Initiative in order to reach more women and youth, particularly those residing in rural and hard to reach communities, with the message of empowerment.