by Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Southern Kaduna Aid Foundation (SKAID) has launched a two-month Intensive Skill Acquisition programme for 50 youths.
The 50 youths are drawn from across the region’s 12 local government areas of the Southern Kaduna.
The programme, flagged-off on Monday in Zonzon, Zangon-Kataf Local Government Area, is aimed at equipping participants with practical skills in four key trades: solar installation, welding and fabrication, electrical/electronics repair, and beauty care.
Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Foundation, Rear Admiral Ferguson Bobai (retd), who inaugurated the programme, said the initiative was designed to reduce dependency and promote entrepreneurship in a skills-driven economy.
He advised trainees to approach the training with seriousness, adding that successful participants would receive starter-packs, but warned against selling them – a trend he described as “unfortunate among previous beneficiaries.”
“Our goal is not just to train but to empower youths to become self-reliant and contributors to the economy of Southern Kaduna,” Bobai said.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of the Foundation, Mr Bello Bisalla, noted that the initiative addresses the growing gap in skilled service provision within the region.
“This programme is part of a broader strategy to develop local capacity and encourage value creation among young people,” he said.
Village Head of Zonzon, Mr Alang Angulu Wakili, praised the foundation for what he described as a “life-touching intervention,” urging participants to seize the opportunity to build sustainable livelihoods.
Some beneficiaries, including Andrew Sichet, Bathsheba Joseph Bityong, and Peter Sabastine Zwahu, expressed gratitude for the rare opportunity and pledged to make the most of the training.