The Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development has empowered no fewer than 250 Households, Orphans, and Vulnerable Children with various start-up tools for self-reliance and independence.
While speaking today at the Household Economic Strengthening for Orphans and Vulnerable Children Empowerment program at the Correctional Centre for Boys in Yaba, the Lagos State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr Olusegun Dawodu identified poverty as the leading cause of household vulnerability and separation in society.
He further mentioned that most families had abandoned their parental roles in attempts to provide basic needs for their families, which had led to children being abandoned, neglected, and exploited for financial gains.
His words, “The Orphans and Vulnerable Children are affected/infected with HIV/AIDS and malnourished due to extreme poverty. They are marginalized, stigmatized, or even discriminated against and need care or protection”.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Pharm (Mrs.) Toyin Oke-Osanyintolu said that the empowerment programme is aimed at making significant contributions to the efforts of vulnerable households in the State, helping to strengthen their economic capacities and empower them to provide more for the essential needs of the children in their care, which will ensure that these children can access vital services like Safety, Healthcare, Education and other basic needs.
“This programme is one of the actualizations of the T.H.E.M.E.S Development Agenda of the present administration and the fulfilment of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu’s promise to reduce poverty in the State to the minimum, increase their economic independence and improve their ability to provide for their children.”
Also speaking at the event, Mrs Victoria Ekarika, an Entrepreneurship Coach, admonished the program’s beneficiaries to have a business plan, budget, financial discipline, saving culture, investment plan, and record-keeping for them to succeed in business.
Some of the 2021 edition beneficiaries who were at the event include Ms Stella Onyelu, Ms. Precious, Olayinka Johnson, and Funmi Okafor. They testified how the training and empowerment tools they were given had, in no small measure, improved their financial life.
Deep Freezer, Pop-Corn Making Machine, Vulcanising Machine, Hair Dryer, Sewing Machine, Clipper, and Grinding Machine among others were the empowerment tools distributed to the program’s beneficiaries.
