Engaging youths in productive ventures helps keep them off drugs – SFEII

By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna

Chief Executive Officer, Supreme Family Entertainment International Initiative (SFEII), Princess Joyce Hemni said when youths are engaged in productive ventures, it helps to keep them off drugs and other social vices.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony of over 700 women, widows and youths who benefitted from skill acquisition training in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna state, Ambassador Joyce Hemni Matthew Andrew, said the current economic realities in the country meant that people must equip themselves with skills to complement life and put food on the table.

“This exercise is borne out of my love for humanity coupled with the need to empower these women and youths to be self reliant.

“When you look around, you would see our youths sitting idle, doing nothing to help themselves.

“Many of our people here are graduates, but to survive in today’s world you need more than just paper qualifications.

“You need to pick up skills that can fetch you money because government alone cannot employ everybody,” she added

The training, which saw the beneficiaries graduate in such areas of crafts as soap making, make-up facial, shoe making, barbing and Vaseline making among others was organised by a Non Governmental Organization; Supreme Family Entertainment International Initiative (SFEII).

In his remarks, the chairman of the NGO, Mr Patrick Andrew Anebi, said there was no better investment in life than the investment in human beings, noting that the training exercise would be a continuous one.

Also speaking, the Acting Chief of Kachia, Mr Jacob Dogo, commended the NGO for it’s selfless efforts at empowering women and youths in the area.

Dogo noted that the training would go a long way in reducing criminal activities amongst the youths.

He appealed to other well meaning individuals and organisations to emulate SFEII in empowering the downtrodden.

Some of the beneficiaries who spoke with our correspondent expressed gratitude to the NGO, adding that they would make use of what they had learnt to build themselves.

The participants draw from Bishini, Sabon Sarki, Kachia and Gidan Tagwai Districts.

The starter packs were given to all the beneficiaries as well as cash donations to those who distinguished themselves during the training.