The BTO CARES initiative has launched a direct support programme for vulnerable residents, students, artisans, traders and unemployed youths across Ondo State.

Ondo Community Connect unveiled the programme in Akure on Thursday as part of efforts to complement infrastructure development with interventions that address immediate social and economic needs.

The Coordinator of BTO CARES, Mrs Iretidola Akinrowo Ojekhoa, said the initiative would place residents at the heart of development by providing targeted support to people facing hardship.

She explained that the sponsor, the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, had facilitated projects including transformers, boreholes, solar lights, schools and health centres in several communities.

However, Ojekhoa said the minister recognised that infrastructure alone could not resolve all the challenges confronting residents.

“But he asked a fundamental question: What is infrastructure without the people? What happens to a brilliant child who cannot pay school fees? What happens to a mother who cannot afford hospital bills? What happens to a jobless youth who becomes desperate?” she said.

According to her, those concerns informed the creation of BTO CARES as a people-focused intervention that provides direct assistance beyond physical infrastructure.

The programme operates through five areas covering emergency succour, education support, artisanship and skills, business development, and protection of vulnerable people and youths.

Under emergency support, beneficiaries can receive assistance with hospital bills, medical referrals, food packs and emergency accommodation for victims of disasters.

The education component covers school fees from primary to university level, examination fees for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), National Examinations Council (NECO) and Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

Beneficiaries can also receive books and uniforms, while eligible students will gain access to scholarship and bursary opportunities.

For artisans and skilled workers, BTO CARES will provide access to shared facilities, machines and starter kits, including sewing machines, clippers and other essential tools.

The initiative will also connect beneficiaries to skills acquisition and internship opportunities to improve their chances of earning sustainable incomes.

Traders and entrepreneurs will receive support through market and partnership linkages, including connections to government programmes operated by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Bank of Industry (BOI) and National Directorate of Employment (NDE).

Ojekhoa said the initiative would not distribute cash directly to beneficiaries, as it had adopted a no-cash-at-centre policy to promote accountability.

She explained that approved school fees would go directly to schools, while hospitals would receive payments for verified medical bills.

Vendors would also receive direct payment for approved business materials instead of beneficiaries receiving cash.

The vulnerable and youth protection component targets widows, elderly persons, persons with disabilities and orphans.

Unemployed youths will also receive support designed to help them pursue productive livelihoods and reduce the pressures associated with joblessness.

Ojekhoa said officials would profile and verify applicants before approving assistance.

She added that the programme would treat emergency cases within 48 hours, while officials would process standard applications within seven working days.

“My people, this is your programme. BTO CARES cares for you, Hon. Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo cares for you. Let us work together to build a stronger Ondo State,” she said.

The Chairman of the occasion and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Chief Demola Ijabiyi, described the initiative as an effort to cushion the economic difficulties facing Nigerians.

Ijabiyi urged politicians to emulate the initiative by providing practical support to constituents experiencing hardship.

Traditional rulers at the event also commended the programme, including the Oba of Ipinsha, Oba Olufunmilayo Ojo, and the Oba of Irese, Oba Ahmed Saka.

The monarchs commended Tunji-Ojo for combining community infrastructure projects with interventions that directly support residents in need.

The launch coincided with the Independence Day celebration and attracted 14 traditional rulers from communities under the Ondo Community Connect network.

Community leaders, media executives and other stakeholders also attended the event.

The ceremony featured an exhibition and certification of graduates from the Bunmi Tunji-Ojo Skill Acquisition and Training (BTOSAT) programme of Ondo Community Connect.

Products made at the BTOSAT Production House featured at the exhibition, while the organisers also sourced gift packs presented to guests from the facility.

Residents seeking assistance can register at the BTO CARES office at 104 Oyemekun Road, Akure.

Officials will also conduct weekly outreach visits to hospitals, markets, schools and communities to identify eligible beneficiaries and connect them with available support.