By Linus Aleke
An International non-governmental organization (INGO), operating under the umbrella of Christian Aid (UK), Nigeria has built the capacity of no fewer than 30 youths, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, as part of its effort to help move residents of the territory out of poverty, as well as, tackle the spike in the unemployment rate in the country.
This is even observed that the current data on people living below the poverty line in Nigeria is not only humongous and staggering but frightening, hence the urgent rescue of the situation.
Programme Coordinator, Health and Human Development, Christian Aid (UK), Nigeria, Mr Obele Oluchukwu said this at the official closing of a 2-day Employability Skills Workshop Series for Youths in FCT, which was organized by Christian Aid (UK), Nigeria, in collaboration with YouthHub Africa.
Recall that the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), on Friday, November, 18 said, that 133 million (63 per cent), Nigerians are suffering from multidimensional poverty, with children constituting more than half of the poor people in the country.
This means that two out of every three Nigerians are poor and experience just over one-quarter of all possible deprivations in terms of health, education, living standards, and work and shocks.
Among other things the report showed that 65% of poor people—86 million—live in the North, while 35%—nearly 47 million— live in the South.
“multidimensional poverty is higher in rural areas, where 72% of people are poor, compared to 42% of people in urban areas.
“Approximately 70% of Nigeria’s population live in rural areas, yet these areas are home to 80% of poor people; their intensity of poverty is also higher, at 42% in rural areas compared to 37% in urban areas.
“Two-thirds (67.5%) of children aged 0–17 are poor according to the National MPI, and a half (51%) of all poor people are children,” the report read in part.
Mr Oluchukwu, however, said, 133 million people is big but his organization will start with moving out one person at a time, adding, that is what Christian Aid is contributing its own effort.
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He said Christian Aid is not contributing only an effort to tackle the problem but also investing its money in the intervention to ensure that Nigerians are moved out of the unemployment and poverty circle.
“We stand with the poor and marginalized to see how we can begin to move people out of poverty. As part of our strategic plan, we have also committed ourselves to see how we can work with youths basically to help them look inward and develop the innate capacities that can make them self reliance not possibly on themselves but also see how they can use those skills to improve the community where they leave,” he said.
The programme Coordinator said, Christian Aid three years ago developed a strategic plan that is youth-focused.
He noted that the organization is looking for an intervention that can speak specifically to the capacity development of youths and how it can make them better leaders of tomorrow.
On how many youths benefited, he said, this is a novel activity for Christian Aid and as part of the beginning series, we have started with 30 youths, adding that it also has interventions that go beyond the thirty youths.
“We have the internship programme that we are currently running that has six youths gainfully employed for 12 months. Christian Aid is paying their salaries and covering their health insurance and other capacity development issue,” he concluded.
