A non-governmental organisation, Chrysolite Foundation, has empowered some children and young people in Isale Osun community in Ibadan North East local government area of Oyo State with skills and business tips that will enable them to set up small-scale businesses.
The Founder and Executive Director of the foundation, Esther Mbabie, noted that this was the third year since 2020 that they have reached out to the community.
The youth leader of the community, Taiwo Olatubosun, appreciated the foundation for deeming it fit to reach out to them. He stated that the empowerment exercise was apt because the children and young people needed it to acquire basic skills to support themselves and their families.
Mbabie stressed that the motivation behind the programme was seeing people comfortable, having basic education and skills, and impacting their communities positively.
She noted that the skills empowerment programme is an annual event, and that in previous years, they have empowered children in other communities.
She added that this year’s version of the Isale Osun empowerment is its maiden edition and children and young people, aged 5 – 27 years, were taught for six weeks under the supervision of the volunteers of the foundation.
According to her, they taught the children four skills: tie and dye (adire) making; upcycling − converting abandoned tires into stools and tables; crochet –creating textiles using hooks and threads; and production of ankara books and journals.
Mbabie added that after the six-week exercise, successful beneficiaries were given some materials and packages to start basic things for their businesses.
The tutors and volunteers, who taught the children, were: Victoria Ayodele and Ololade Olatunde (for crochet), Precious Adediji (for tie and dye), Eniola Ajayi (for upcycling), and Doyinsola Owolabi (ankara crafts).
The Head of Programmes of the foundation, Chibueze Okechukwu, explained why the children were taught the skills. He said it was because they were easy to make, beneficial to their environment, and did not require huge capital to set up.