Nigerian Breweries launches new empowerment scheme for youths in host communities

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Leading brewer, Nigerian Breweries Plc (NBPLC) has unveiled a new empowerment scheme called “Partnership for Growth”. According to the company, the new programme, which is part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) is aimed at equipping Nigerian youths, especially those in its host communities with vocational and life skills that create wealth and support livelihood.

The programme kick-off in August had 100 youths, 50 males and 50 females selected from Awo-Omamma Community, in Oru East Local Government Area of Imo State.

The beneficiaries would be trained in different vocational skills ranging from confectionery, cosmetology, manicure and pedicure, braiding, solar panel installation, landscaping, cell phone repairs, barbing, shoemaking to fashion designing.

They would also be taught basic bookkeeping, business management, customer service and life/soft skills.

“The scheme will create trust and strengthen the partnership between the company and the community where it operates,” said Sade Morgan, Corporate Affairs Director, NB Plc.

According to her, NB is embarking on the youth-based community intervention programme to address the critical needs of stakeholders in the community.

“NB, through the programme aims to enhance the potential of the youths through this platform to provide young people in the community with access to vocational skills and a network of peers and mentors.

“From our engagements with the community, we identified the youth as a resourceful group with a need for empowerment to enable them to achieve their full potential and support livelihood in the community,” she said.

She continued: “Nigeria’s population has increased exponentially in recent years thereby putting overwhelming pressure on the limited and already overstretched economic opportunities. With about 70 percent youth population, the economic outlook of the country can be improved, by providing young people with entrepreneurial opportunities to acquire knowledge, vocational and life skills that create wealth and support livelihood.

“In the absence of the above, economic protest, community restiveness and crime could escalate.”

She added further that NB would certify beneficiaries and support them with seed investment in tools of the trade for the acquired skills.

The theme of the programme is “Partnership for Growth: Invest, Involve, Inspire”.

Nigerian Breweries has been a long-time sponsor of youth empowerment programmes, under its “Youth Empowerment and Talent Development” agenda, which provides a platform for young people to display, hone and get rewarded for their talents.

Some of the Youth Empowerment and Talent Development Programmes sponsored by NB include Creative Writer’s Workshop, which was organised in partnership with Farafina Trust and the National Arts Competition, organised for over ten years, by the African Artists Foundation, in collaboration with Nigerian Breweries. Others were the National Reading Competition, designed for SSS1-3 students in secondary schools across the country, to empower Nigerian youth and channel their energies to more productive ventures.