KIR Foundation NDYEP graduation

PIND Foundation with support from Ford Foundation initiated the Niger Delta Youth Employment
Pathway programme. KIR Foundation as one of the 15 implementers of the programme, graduated
the first set of 50 trainees on the 8th of December 2018, among whom were Odinaka a deaf trainee
who was one of the best in the hardware repairs and maintenance skills training. Odinaka is
currently running a small hardware and software repairs and maintenance business in front of his
house. David, who was a security guard before he enrolled for the training, is now a supervisor and
social media personnel in a cold room company. Also, Bethel who was a fruit seller is now a teacher
at Dayspring Infant and Junior school.

PIND Foundation extended the programme for another 3 months and KIR Foundation had the
opportunity to train another set of 25 trainees. The 25 trainees graduated on the 29th of March 2019.
Lucky a mobility challenged youth was one of the outstanding trainees in hardware and software
repairs training. Lucky a father of 2 little girls who was previously unemployed is now an intern with
global law tech, a hardware and software repair and maintenance company.

The Niger Delta Youth Employment Pathway programme funded by PIND enabled KIR Foundation to run a disability inclusive training for 75 youth, in the following skills; (Basic ICT appreciation,
hardware repairs and maintenance, social media and digital marketing, basic coding and website
design and entrepreneurship. The facilitators were Ikechukwu Anaba, Micheal Lawrence, Andrew
Nkeruwem, Emmanuel Macdonald, Mina Tamunowari, and Victor Briggs. Thereby creating
employment opportunities and enabling the youth in the Niger Delta to have market-relevant skills.

On the 29 th of March 2019, during the graduation of the 25 trainees; 12 of the trainees were persons
with disabilities, comprising of 1 female and 11 males, 13 of them were without disabilities,
comprising of 6 females and 7 males.

Some of the trainees expressed their gratitude to the sponsors of the programme because of the skills that they had acquired and for helping them to become self-confident. Mr. Victor Briggs who was the facilitator on entrepreneurship during the programme and a member of KIR Foundation advisory board coordinated the event.

Mr Ibifuro Asawo, the special adviser to the governor on ICT, gave the keynote address. He encouraged the trainees to use their newly acquired skills to become contributive and productive
members of the society, by harnessing the following traits, vision, focus, courage and perseverance all of which have enabled him to stay relevant in the ICT sector.