Aligned to SDGs 1, 2 and 8, the second year of the 2-year pilot intervention continues working towards the target to train and equip an additional 2,000 youth (including young women, vulnerable and marginalized groups) in the three project states with market-relevant technical and soft skills and job linkages. This builds on the implementation models, lessons and results from the first year during which 1,468 youth in the target states of Abia, Akwa Ibom and Rivers were equipped with skills in ICT, construction and agriculture.
During the quarter, eleven implementing partners provided training and post–training support to 1,461 young persons and supported 481 graduates to secure waged employment. Cumulatively, 672 youth equipped with market–relevant skills have been supported by the project to connect to dignified and fulfilling work.
In response to the COVID–19 outbreak during the reporting period, the project’s entrepreneurship training program initially designed as an in-person instructional program for young persons was pivoted to an online program. The implementing partners conducted the online entrepreneurship training via Zoom, broadcasted the sessions from their studios and provided follow-up instructional support to the participants via WhatsApp.
As part of post-training support to help trained youth entrepreneurs access finance for their business ideas, the partners assisted 200 graduates to develop business plans and facilitated their registration and loan application for their business proposals on the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) portal.
PIND continued its effort to promote the adoption of the NDYEP models and emerging lessons from implementation by governments. The Foundation organized a regional roundtable focused on re–imagining youth skills development program and job creation for positive impact in post COVID–19 economy where it challenged the State governments to urgently and deliberately reverse asymmetries of youth unemployment by adopting good practices and tested approaches. In September, PIND also organize a virtual learning forum to encourage peer–to –peer learning amongst seven States in the Niger Delta on efforts and investments in youth employment programming.
