Youth empowerment in the Federal Capital Territory received a boost as more than 436 vulnerable youths have been trained and equipped with start-up kits through the Youth Entrepreneurship Development and Empowerment Scheme, an initiative of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja. The annual programme, implemented by the Justice, Development and Peace Caritas Initiative, focuses on equipping young people with practical skills in different sectors to enable them to create wealth and reduce poverty.
The programme offers training in areas such as fashion, catering, poultry and fish farming, artificial intelligence robotics, and cybersecurity. Other opportunities include inverter installation, graphic design, and web or application development. Since its inception in 2022, beneficiaries have received start-up kits such as ovens, gas cylinders, chicks, poultry feeds, and sewing machines to help them launch businesses.
At the closing ceremony of the 2025 edition, the executive director of JDPCI, Sebastian Sanni, encouraged beneficiaries to be good representatives of the organisation and its sponsor, Catholic Relief Services. He urged the youths to use their knowledge to transform their communities by training others and building sustainable ventures.
“Take time to build; if you want to go far, do not look for shortcuts. If you look for a shortcut, the shortcut will cut you short,” he said. “Please take time to build. I have confidence in all of you that you will succeed. Go out there, be confident in yourself and be confident in what you do. I also want to make a very passionate appeal that after now, get a business name and register with the Corporate Affairs Commission and get a complimentary card.”
Mr Sanni also stressed the importance of collaboration with government institutions, noting that meaningful development can only be achieved when the state partners with the church, which remains close to the people.
The director of the programme, Timothy Ejeh, explained that the scheme was created to improve the skills and financial independence of vulnerable youths in Abuja while addressing poverty-driven challenges. According to him, the fourth phase of the initiative alone trained 56 young people from four deaneries out of the eight in the Archdiocese of Abuja.
“I am proud to announce that, to date, we have empowered more than 436 youths across our archdiocese. In this fourth phase alone, we trained over 56 youths from four deaneries of the eight deaneries in the Archdiocese of Abuja. They were in agro-entrepreneurship, catering services and fashion design, equipping them with essential skills that will not only sustain them but transform them into wealth creators,” he said.
He added that start-up kits were provided to the trainees in this phase, which represents an improvement from previous years. “One of the highlights of this phase is the provision of start-up kits to 56 trainees. This marks a significant improvement from previous years, both in terms of the number of kits distributed and the increased support provided for transportation. We are deeply encouraged by this progress and are grateful to our partner, Catholic Relief Services, for making this possible.”
Mr Ejeh further revealed that an impact assessment meeting with past and present trainees showed encouraging results, with about 62 per cent of beneficiaries already thriving in their chosen trades. He described this outcome as evidence of the programme’s effectiveness.
The permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Usman Salihu, represented by the assistant director of special projects, Gabriel Omadewu, advised the graduating trainees to put their acquired skills to practical use. He said that the real satisfaction for those who supported the programme would come when the skills gained are translated into sustainable employment, self-reliance, and economic development.
Also, the country representative of Catholic Relief Services, Akim Kikonda, represented by the head of programmes, Lucy Amadon, praised the initiative. He said the collaboration with JDPCI reflects the visionary leadership of Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama in empowering youths, particularly those in underserved communities.
Beneficiaries of the programme expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to acquire new skills and improve their lives. One of them, Monica Tyoshie, shared her story of how she turned her passion into a growing business.
She explained that after completing her NYSC in 2023, she worked in a low-paying job that could not cover her needs. “Though I could not afford a fashion school, I sustained my passion and searched for training in the industry. Fortunately for me, in 2024, just a few months after I resigned, I got this opportunity. To be honest, I did not just acquire skills. This programme gave me the confidence and the courage I needed to design. After the programme, I started making some pieces for myself.”
Monica went on to say that she established her brand and began marketing her work on WhatsApp and Instagram. She explained that she gained customers within her circle of friends and has grown to the point of training 30 students under JDPCI. “I must say, I’m grateful to God and to this platform for bringing out the passion in me. I am excited to see where this has taken me and how I can now impact lives through my brand, and so thank you very much JDPCI and thank God.”