Oyo State youths among most talented people in the world —De’rayo Animashaun

Aderayo Animashaun is a serial enterprenuer and brains behind the De’rayo Vocational Institute and Hub, an outfit committed to empower over 10,000 youths in Oyo State. She recently organised an empowerment outreach on the World Youth Skills Day and gave grants to over 200 participants. ROTIMI IGE sat with her after the event and she spoke about her journey in enterprenuership, also about why she is passionate about empowering the next generation.

Your empowerment event was held recentlyon the World Youth Skills Day, for the sixth time. How has the journey been so far, and what was unique about this year’s event?

It has been a journey of resilience and purpose. Over the years, despite the economic challenges, we have remained committed to giving young people a reason to hope and a platform to grow. This year’s event stood out because it marked a significant milestone, not just in the number of youths we have empowered, but in the deepened quality of engagement and impact. We expanded our scholarship programme, increased the number of skills offered, and introduced structured follow-up systems to track beneficiaries’ progress. More importantly, it was a celebration of six years of doing the work regardless of the odds.

You have trained over 10,000 youths for free over six years. Where did you find the funds to do this?

As of this year, we have trained 10,221 young people across different communities. The funding has largely come from personal savings, contributions from family and friends, and the unwavering support of volunteer trainers and well-meaning individuals. This year, we launched a crowdfunding campaign called #10KForChange. The idea was to get 10,000 people to give ₦1,000 each to raise our intended goal of ₦10,000,000. Although we did not reach our target, we successfully raised about ₦3,000,000 within the campaign window. The campaign was widely embraced and provides a strong reference model for what we can scale in future years. This work has always been a collective effort. Every donation, every hour volunteered, and every skill shared makes a difference.

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Critics might opine you have political ambitions to announce later, seeing that many state ministries have not been able to achieve your feat. Are you interested in politics or appointments?

I am not interested in politics. However, I believe that appointments can serve as a platform to amplify the vision, especially when it comes to addressing youth unemployment through industrialisation and empowerment. My goal has always been impact, not power. If any platform, political or otherwise, helps us reach more young people and scale our work, then I am open to that opportunity purely for the purpose of national development.

Tell us your story. How did your entrepreneurship journey begin, and why are you so passionate about helping others?

My story began in the heart of Ibadan. After losing my father at the age of eight, life changed dramatically. My mother, suddenly a single parent, did all she could to raise my sister and me. When my sister became critically ill, I was sent to live with a family friend, and it was there that a woman who ran a fashion shop downstairs caught my attention. I would watch her and her apprentices from a small window as they worked. That sound, the rhythm of the Butterfly machine, lit a spark in me.

Though I had to stop learning to return to school, the passion stayed with me. I later trained with experienced fashion designers and in 2010 launched De’rayo from a small room in my grandmother’s house on Oredein Street. That street was vibrant but tough. I witnessed violence, police raids, and teenage boys who had been failed by society. It changed me. I realised I could not just build a brand. I had to build people too.

In 2019, we launched our first youth empowerment event with 35 volunteer trainers. From there, the De’rayo Empowerment Foundation was born. Our flagship campaign, “Transforming 10,000 Teenagers into Young Bosses,” aims to give vocational education to underserved youth, restore their dignity, and give them the tools for a better future. We started here and we have continued to build something special, year after year.

You announced a two million naira sponsorship fund from an anonymous donor. How can anyone partner with your initiative?

Yes, we received two million naira from an anonymous donor which will be disbursed as ₦100,000 cash grants to alumni who have successfully started their businesses. For others interested in partnering, we welcome donations, mentorship support, equipment, and even volunteer time. There are many local governments in Oyo State we have not reached yet. With the right partners, we can touch many more lives. Every contribution brings us closer to building a stronger, skilled youth population.

During your event, you gave out equipment to various entrepreneurial candidates. Can you tell us some of the departments you cover and how you follow up to ensure that these equipments are utilised as expected?

Yes, we gave out equipment to our scholarship beneficiaries across various departments. These include hairstyling, fashion design, bag making, barbing, event decoration, and textile design. These candidates were selected through our World Youth Skills Day 2024 scholarship programme where we offered 126 youths free six-month training placements. For 2025, we are scaling up to 218 scholarships.

Each beneficiary is matched with a certified trainer located near their residence. These trainers monitor attendance and assess practical skill development throughout the training period. This follow-up ensures accountability and helps us evaluate the real-world application of the skills imparted.

These days, finding young artisans is becoming more difficult as youths are dumping apprenticeships for easier and more lucrative options like content making on social media. In your opinion, are Nigerian youths lazy?

Nigerian youths are not lazy. In fact, they are some of the most resourceful and talented people in the world. The real challenge is the environment. It does not consistently support skill development or provide accessible training opportunities. That is the gap the De’rayo Empowerment Foundation is filling. We do not stop at training alone. We go further to provide job placement support and business mentorship to help young people apply their skills meaningfully.

What is next for De’rayo Empowerment Initiative?

We are currently posting our 2025 scholarship winners for full six-month vocational training. We also manage a database of young people with whom we share development opportunities, job leads, and business support resources. With adequate funding, we hope to establish a vocational institute that will host boot camps, serve as a hub for skills production, and create jobs. Our long-term goal is to increase our contribution to national development through job creation, local production, and export readiness.

Have you had any support or collaboration from the state government? Do you think the Oyo State government is yet to pay deserved attention in empowering its teeming youth population, and what would you advise?

We have not received any support from the Oyo State government. I believe the government must take a more intentional and urgent approach towards youth engagement. Young people are the strength of our state and country. My advice is that the government should partner with initiatives like ours that already have community trust and functional structures in place. With collaboration and proper funding, we can do so much more together for the youth of Oyo State.