YEDIS empowers artisans with resources worth N2.1m in Osun

Youths Enterprise Development and Innovation Society (YEDIS), in conjunction with Elites Club of Aagba community,OSUN state on Saturday empowered skilful young artisans with resources valued over N2.1 million to acquire qualitative education, advance their businesses, get decent jobs, and achieve their economic developments in their areas of specializations.

The Executive Director Of YEDIS, Mr. Rafiu Olaore made this known at

a one-day Entrepreneurship and Capacity-Building Workshop titled ‘Enhancing Entrepreneurial Skills of Young Artisans held in the community.

According to him, “Aagba is among marginalized communities in Osun State, with many skilful young artisans who need quality education, adequate infrastructure, and substantive resources to advance their businesses, decent jobs, and achieve economic development.”

“The workshop focused on impacting the Aagba young artisans with the requisite knowledge in national and global networking links, marketing fundamentals, product branding, digital technology applications, exploration of local resources, leadership skills, team building, and business proposal writing. YEDIS conducted the training in English and Yoruba (mother language) to ensure proper interactions and a deeper understanding of the workshop goals”.

The Executive Director who disclosed that, participants were 76 young women and girls and 52 men, gave their areas of specializations as plumbing, electrical installation and repairs, computer and phone repairs, bricklaying, plumbing, tiling, Plaster of Paris (POP) work, welding and fabrication, merchandising, shoemaking/leather works, house aluminium works, painting, photography, computer business centre, farming, hairstyling, and fashion designing.

While disclosing that, the said, amount was gotten through donations and in-kind support from YEDIS, Elites Club of Aagba, and partners, Olaore stressed that, “the Elites Club of Aagba mobilized the participants and provided them all the needs items in terms of cashes and others while the community monarch,Oba Rufus Olayinka Ogunwole Kuujosin 1 also, donated the sum of N250,000, making N1,000,000 grants to 20 raffle draw winners among the participating artisans to develop their businesses.

Olaore who attributed the challenges facing young people in marginalized communities to both inadequate infrastructure and digital divides, pleaded for adequate supports for the affected settlements and maintained that, the underserved Nigerian youths can innovatively develop business initiatives for the nation’s economic and sustainable development if they have access to the resources, opportunities, and a conducive environment.

He narrated the YEDIS contributions to the youths’ gainful employment, primarily young women and girls and community development since the launch of the NGO in February 2020 and emphasized, the need to invest in agriculture by supporting young farmers for food security, zero hunger and reducing poverty in the country.

While pointing out that,collaboration between community leaders, government, and civil society organizations would be needed to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals Agenda of 2030, he revealed that, the YEDIS seven team and three volunteers facilitated the event with intensive training through interactive presentation, participants’ teamwork, business plan development, Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital skills, the effect of climate change on business, venture funding sources, and other innovative lectures for inclusive and community economic development.

“The workshop focused on impacting the Aagba young artisans with the requisite knowledge in national and global networking links, marketing fundamentals, product branding, digital technology applications, exploration of local resources, leadership skills, team building, and business proposal writing. YEDIS conducted the training in English and Yoruba (mother language) to ensure proper interactions and a deeper understanding of the workshop goals. “

He appreciated all their donors including Mr Patrick  (YEDIS Regional Coordinator in Europe) for donating 75,000 towards logistics and the YEDIS vibrant team for their selfless services, insightful presentation, and proper coordination of the activities, in the person of Mr Ogunrinade Ranti, Mr Ola Timothy, Mrs Oyeniyi Kemi, Mrs Alaje Grace, Mr Oluwaseun Owojori, Mrs Olaniyan Dorcas, Miss Rafiat Olaore, Miss Waliyat Oyerinde, Mr Waheed Adeoye, Mr Abass Opeyemi, Mrs Mary Adebayo and other stakeholders.