By Ladi Dapson 

An international non-governmental organisation, Mercy Corps and Partners, has empowered 2,088 youths in various skills acquisition and other trades in the Jere local government area of Borno State.
 
The Chief of Party Mercy Corps, Brigid O’Connor, stated this during the graduation event and presentations of starter packs at Simari/Mashanari ward in Jere LGA, Maiduguri.
 
She pointed out that the empowerment program aimed at reducing the risk of thuggery and other social vices among the youths by improving their means of livelihood and self-reliance. 

“This training is part of a program called Thrive. It’s one component, and the program is designed to help communities that have been exposed to violence and displacement over many years, the opportunity to recover their livelihoods and get back on track with their incomes and lives. 

“The total number of people who have been trained not just in this community, but in seven others in Jere LGA is about 2,088 young boys and girls over two years. This is the second graduation. What we wanted to do was not just hand out support to make people survive. So not just provide income support or food assistance, but to help people get back to their livelihoods,” she said.

The Borno State Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Saina Buba, represented by the Director for Youths, Yusuf Mohammed, pointed out that Borno State is willing to partner with any organisation that will build the capacity of many idle youths so as to become productive members of society. 

“This is wonderful. This is very good because if you empower someone who is far better than giving them food or money, it’s better to teach them what to do so they can be on their own. If this will go around the 27 local government areas, that means our people will be empowered, and then poverty will be eradicated. It’s a very good initiative.” he applauded.
 
The village head of Simari/Mashanari ward, Aisimi Abba, urged the beneficiaries to make better use of the training and tools given to them, saying he was impressed and warned that he would not tolerate any form of thuggery in the areas. 
 
Thrive Project Manager, Kyenpiya Blessing Gumut, remarked that the youths were selected from insurgency-affected wards in the Jere local government area, noting that beneficiaries were trained for a period of six months in various skills such as carpentry, tailoring, auto mechanics, baking, babing, hair styling, and other skills to prevent them from engaging in violent crimes.

Some of the youths, Ummi Bukar and Modu Babagana, thanked the organisation for the training and promised to use the skills they acquired to better the lives of their parents and siblings.

The Thrive project was funded by the United States and jointly implemented by Mercy Corps, CSR, Prime, WINN, JDPC, and Salient Humanitarian Organisation.