Foundation empowers 50 youths with skills acquisition

A non-governmental organisation, the Olumide Osunsina Foundation (OOF), has trained 50 youths in vocational skills over a six-month period.

The graduation ceremony was held on Thursday in Ibadan, with graduands, parents, trainers, and stakeholders in attendance.

OOF is a social investment intervention initiative that aims to provide underprivileged children and youths with formal, vocational, and technical education to help them become self-reliant.

The beneficiaries were trained in CCTV/solar installation, photography, fashion design, catering, and events management.

At the ceremony, the foundation presented the graduands with certificates and start-up equipment, including installation kits, three-step industrial ovens, and sewing machines.

In his remarks, the founder of the foundation, Asiwaju Olumide Osunsina, urged the beneficiaries to make meaningful contributions to their communities with the skills they had acquired.

Osunsina, who was represented by his wife and Executive Director of Megamound Investment Ltd, Mrs Desiree Osunsina, addressed the graduands on their journey with the foundation and the significance of their certification.

“Our vision as a foundation is to become a benchmark for youth empowerment in Nigeria and beyond, and with your graduation today, we are proud that this vision is gradually coming to fruition.

“Your journey over the past six months has been a testament to your resilience, dedication, and hunger for growth. You embraced and overcame challenges, and today, you stand not just as graduates, but as empowered individuals ready to contribute meaningfully to society.

“Your certificates are more than mere symbols of completion; they are instruments of transformation. Use them to build careers, inspire others, and uplift your communities,” he added.

Mrs Osunsina further noted that the founder strongly embraces the principle of giving back to society, utilising his platforms to invest in others—as seen in the skills training programme, sponsorship of orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs), and renovation of schools and educational facilities in Ibadan, Abeokuta, and Lagos, among other philanthropic efforts.

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Also speaking at the event, OOF Programme Manager, Ayodeji Oriyomi, highlighted the core values of the foundation, as well as the objectives and impact of the vocational training initiative.

“OOF was born out of the recognition of the need to equip our youths with both soft and vocational skills, along with internship opportunities to improve livelihoods.”

He stated that this graduation ceremony, which marks the second edition of the initiative, has had a significant impact on its beneficiaries—enhancing their capacity to contribute meaningfully to society by improving employability in sectors where these skills are needed, thereby helping to reduce youth unemployment in the country.

In her keynote address, Mrs Ewaoluwa Orowale emphasised the need for the graduands to earn income and make productive use of their newly acquired skills as a strategic investment in the future of Nigerian youths.

She stressed that the programme was designed to equip participants with real-world, marketable skills to enable them to earn, lead, make an impact, and network effectively with relevant prospects and partners.

“You must be ready to thrive in the labour market, build connections, and grow at an impressive rate. So, as you leave this hall, you leave not just with your certificate, but with dignity, redefined purpose, and a clearer vision of how you are going to contribute to the Nigeria of your dreams,” she said.