Foundation empowers 1000 people with jobs, skills

Live Your Dreams Africa (LYDA) Foundation said it would have created 1000 jobs through different empowerment programmes before the end of 2021.

Founder of the foundation Bankole Williams in a statement said, “with the recently concluded work in Kaduna and the projects, we intend to roll out before the end of this quarter, Live Your Dreams Africa has surpassed our goal of creating 1000 jobs in 2021.”

He said the programmes are in “line with the Sustainable Development Goals, Bankole and his team intend to promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for Africans.”

“In a continent like Africa, where poverty is a familiar challenge, and in a country where the rate of unemployment is at an alarming 33.1%, social consciousness and impact-driven initiatives have become even more imperative; one every citizen should embrace,” Williams said.

He disclosed that the foundation which started in 2013 as a social enterprise initiative, focuses on social consciousness to inspire and challenge the African youth to rise up to the possibilities that lie within their control to have a better life, despite the ugliness of poverty.

However, with a sharp spike in the unemployment rate in Nigeria in 2018, Williams said LYDA responded to the clarion call for a more active intervention through the creation of the Dream Development Centre (DDC).

He explained that “the Dream Development Centre is an arm of the Foundation mandated to empower and equip individuals to create profitable and sustainable businesses in areas of their interest. Through a specially designed learning system, beneficiaries acquire technical and business skills to build sustainable businesses that positively impact their societies.”

Williams noted that the LYDA Foundation, through partnerships with local and international organizations, has empowered over 28,000 people through our annual LYDA Conferences.

He said LYDA has created 1002 jobs by empowering youths in various skills, such as Hair & Wig Making, Finger Foods & Mixology and Photography.

Also, digital marketing and makeup and Gele across 4 Geo-political zones was in place to set up profitable businesses for beneficiaries beyond Nigeria in three other African countries and three European countries through the LYDA Online Academy.

Williams said LYDA Foundation crowdfunded and kick-started business in Fashion, Baking, Photography, and Digital Marketing.