Youth Day: SSDO, ActionAid, Train Enugu Youths On AgroEcology, Renewable Energy, Other Skills

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – As part of its programme to mark this year’s International Youth Day and equipped young people with practical Skills, a Non governmental organization NGO, South Saharan Social Development Organization (SSDO), in collaboration with ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) have trained no fewer than 40 Enugu youths in various sectors, such as waste management, Agroecology, Renewable energy, Information Technology (IT) amongst others.

The youths drawn from four local government areas of Aninri, Isi -Uzo, IgboEze North, as well as Enugu East and North to accommodate those in the metropolis, were trained by the Organizations weekend in Enugu on how to explore existing opportunities abound in various sectors through green skills, with a view to preparing them for a sustainable future.

In the area of Agriculture and Renewable energy, the participants were exposed to the spectrum of opportunities in Agribusiness, using emerging green Technology innovation, and how to earn a robust living via solar sector.

Speaking with Newsmen during the programme, SSDO, Senior programme officer, Mr. Udochukwu Egwim, disclosed that the Organization, is currently implementing the Strategic partnership (SPA II) project in Enugu state.

“This four-year project funded by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) aims to improve the realization of basic human and democratic rights, as well as sustainable livelihoods, resilience, and protection for young people in Nigeria, particularly young women facing marginalization and crisis situations.

According to him “SSDO, a non-profit organization in Enugu State, is dedicated to equipping women, youth, and children with essential social, health, economic, educational, and political skills required to thrive in a rapidly changing and urbanizing sub-Saharan Africa.

He said: “To commemorate this year’s International Youth Day, SSDO is organizing this 1-day Symposium with the theme: “Young People and Green Skills: Preparing for a Sustainable Future”. Youth groups from 4 LGAs – Aninri, Enugu Metropolis, Isi Uzo, Igbo Eze North MDAs.

“We are commemorating this year’s International youth Day, with a workshop and the whole idea is to have the youths from different parts of the state come and learn practical Skills that will translate into job and wealth creation.

“This workshop will also help us look at ways of harnessing and develope skills in the youths, and strengthen such skills” adding that like the Theme states, when we talk about green skills, we are referring to skills and jobs that can be carried out without any harmful effect on the world and Eco system.

The participants were equally taught about recycling, which is a vital issue when it comes to waste management. We invited a wide range of panelists, convering different sectors, the private and government to come and speak to youths.

“These resource persons are people who have excelled in their various field of endeavours. They lectured the participants on practical Skills, because they are experts with tangible experiences to share with the youths so as to enable them develope their skills and turn it into wealth creation” Egwim stated.

“Like i said before, SSDO, is partnering with ActionAid Nigeria on this project, and we are the implementing partner in Enugu State, and we hope that beyond this workshop, we will continue further engagement with the youths so as to see how we can link them with these facilitators for more learning support and mentorship.

The SSDO Senior programe officer, said ” it is our expectation that at the end of this programme, the youth leaders in attendance and participants will also be able to step it down in their respective Communities.

A participant from IgboEze North local government area, Mr. Uchenna Ayogu, who spoke with African Examiner, expressed appreciation to SSDO, and it’s partner, ActionAid, for the opportunity provided them, adding that the programme has exposed him to things he never knew

before attending the training.

The keynote speaker and Special Adviser to Enugu state governor Peter Mbah, on Agriculture, Mr. Mike Ogbuekwe, who spoke on ‘Unveiling the spectrum of opportunities in Agribusiness’: job Creation in Agriculture and Agribusiness Tec innovation, told the participants that the sector has huge potentials that could liberate them financially if embraced.

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