At 10, HOSEI celebrates successful empowerment of 900 teenagers

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2 years ago

In taking stock of part of its activities in 10 years of existence, the Human of Substance Empowerment Initiative (HOSEI), at the weekend, celebrated its successful empowerment of 900 secondary school leavers, who are given a vocation before they get admission into higher institutions of learning, as part of efforts to make them financially independent to be able to shun vices and deviant behaviours.

This is in addition to support to various women who are victims of domestic violence and those who are financially handicapped to cater for their young ones.

In nine years, HOSEI had completed the empowerment process of 800 teenagers, many of whom are now graduates, students in different tertiary institutions and business owners. And on Saturday, in commemoration of its 10 years anniversary, HOSEI did the annual empowerment of 100 teenagers, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to 900.

Presenting the scholarships, HOSEI president and founder, Abiade Olawanle Abiola, said the beneficiaries will be trained in photography, graphics designs, tailoring, baking, hairdressing, and other skills of their choice free of charge.

“We have partnerships with standard organisations that teach our beneficiaries these skills and in addition to the skills acquisition, we have a weekly mentorship and mentoring class which exposes them to leadership skills through regular lectures, workshops, conferences and seminars.

As part of its youth empowerment programme, HOSEI gives free vocational training annually to 100 youths that just graduated from public secondary schools within Ibadan metropolis and the 100 beneficiaries selected from a thousand fresh secondary school graduates are picked on a first to arrive basis on the scheduled conference days for enrolment

The six months learning period is expected to be a time of rigorous mentoring and free vocational training in diverse crafts courtesy of the HOSEI, as part of efforts to empower them, put them on the path of financial independence and consequently, develop the community.

And annually, it is always a period of excitement as beneficiaries and their parents beam with enthusiasm and appreciation at the opportunities given to them during the empowerment conference.

The empowerment was in line with the vision of the founder of HOSEI that in order to reduce the number of youths that are vulnerable to peer pressure and crime, everyone must have a way of making ends meet.

Parents of the lucky beneficiaries could also not hide their joy that their children are being given the opportunity that could lessen the financial burden of school fees by the time they gain admission.

Speaking on the programme, the founder of HOSEI, Abiola, stated that, “since we started years back, it has been a success story. We thank God for how far we have come. We are happy that HOSEI has been able to touch the lives of hundreds of youths and give them financial independence with the help of good people who opened their businesses and sacrificed time and efforts to push this dream. We are getting better by the year and we intend to do more.

“It is my belief that if we allow these young ones to move around aimlessly while awaiting admission, we will make them vulnerable to cybercrime, prostitution and other vices. We want them empowered so they can be financially independent to shun vices,” she added.

Abiade’s vision is to give as many youths as possible a chance, not only to dream but to also pursue their dream and rewrite their own stories in a way that will set them on the path of independence.

One of the second set of beneficiaries, Courage Afemije, speaking during the anniversary stated that the foundation of his success in the marketing industry began at HOSEI when he was given a scholarship to learn graphic design, adding that he ordinarily would not have come that far to head a company if HOSEI did not intervene in his situation.

Another beneficiary, Esther Olaleye, said being a beneficiary of HOSEI to learn beads and jewelry making started a great journey in her life as it opened the door to him to get financial independence and also gain admission and excel in the tertiary education.

And as HOSEI commences another decade in touching lives, for the young beneficiaries, it is a journey on a new path to a new life. Indeed, as it happened in the lives of earlier beneficiaries, the adage which says that an idle hand is the devil’s workshop is about to be put to shame in the lives of the set of 100 beneficiaries as their fortune is about to change in the space of six months; teenagers that have no known skills, now have the required ability to stand on their own and become employers of labour are about to start a life-changing journey rather than waste their time engaging in irrelevant and unproductive activities while awaiting admissions into higher institutions of learning.

The anniversary which was attended by dignitaries which included the former Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Munta Ladipo Abimbola, Chief Akinlolu Olujimi (SAN) represented by Barrister Ibrahim Wahab and a host of well meaning Nigerians including the Saint Annes School Old Girls Association (SASOGA) featured presentation of awards to beneficiaries that have kept the flag of HOSEI flying, mentors, trainers and supporters that have been with HOSEI for over five years.

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