Business
RURCON Empowers Youth in Crisis-Affected Communities With Skills Training, Startup Packs
The Rural Development Counsellor for Christian Churches in Africa (RURCON) has concluded its 2024 entrepreneurship and skills acquisition program with the distribution of start-up packs to beneficiaries drawn from crisis-affected communities in Plateau and Kaduna states.
The closeout event, held on December 5, marked the end of a multi-year intervention funded by Friends of RURCON, under which youths were trained in various vocations for one to two years, depending on the skill.
Executive Director of RURCON, Mrs. Dinatu Ayenzat, said the project supported youths who were negatively affected by crises and needed economic empowerment to contribute to rebuilding their communities.
“Today is the graduation of the trainees. Some trained for two years, some for one year, depending on the skill. They are being given start-up packs to establish their businesses,” she said.
Ayenzat, who earlier gave a moral and spiritual charge to the beneficiaries, added that RURCON’s work is rooted in holistic ministry.
“We demonstrate the love of Christ and proclaim it. I encouraged everyone to make their lives right with God because at the end of it all, we will face God in judgment,” she said.
She explained that Friends of RURCON came into the project through a former donor partner, after which the organization approached them directly with a proposal that was approved.
Director of Programs at RURCON, Seth Yashim Gado, said the initiative was designed as a humanitarian response to support rebuilding in communities affected by violent conflict.
“We enrolled youths from five crisis-affected communities—Myanga in Bokkos, Darwat and Horop in Barkin Ladi, Doka in Kaduna State, and the Pejim community. The idea was to help them acquire skills, reduce idleness, and prevent drug and substance abuse,” he said.
He explained that the training followed four intervention arms: trauma healing for church leaders and elders, peacebuilding for security actors, a community peacebuilding component, and the youth-focused entrepreneurship arm.
“The youth arm was designed to empower them with livelihoods so they can sustain themselves and support their households,” Gado added.
The items distributed to beneficiaries included:
- 28 hairdressing sets (hair dryers, combs, wash basins)
- 7 barbing kits (clippers and barbing accessories)
- 2 laptop computers
- 48 sewing machines
- 8 welding kits
- 4 mechanic toolboxes
- 1 panel-beating gas cylinder and gas tank
- 5 shoemaking grinders and filing machines
- 5 carpentry toolkits
- 4 driving licenses (support)
- 1-ton liquid soap production chemical set
Trainers and trainees from various communities expressed appreciation for the intervention.
Mrs. Sandra Andrew of Haipan, who trained two girls from Mahanga in hairdressing and makeup, said the trainees performed exceptionally well.
“They were among the best five in my shop. I thank the NGO and pray God opens more doors for them to train others,” she said.
Another trainer, Mrs. Felicia Jidahuna from Barkin Ladi, who trained three girls in hairdressing for over a year, said the program brought joy to their community.
“These NGOs, we thank them because they brought so much joy to us. May God bless them,” she said.
Beneficiaries from Kaduna State also shared their experiences.
Gwazel Barnabas, enrolled in a three-year furniture-making program, said he is over a year into his training.
“I am very happy. We cannot pay them, but God will pay them,” he said.
Ruth Payious, also from Kaduna, said the program transformed her life.
“Even the cloth I am wearing is a product of the RURCON program. I can now sew for myself and children in my area. Before this, I was only a student, but now I have my sewing machine,” she said.
Another beneficiary, Patrick Marcus Elia from Hurum, Barkin Ladi, who completed a three-month computer diploma, said his new laptop has boosted his education.
“It helps me do assignments and projects. Sometimes when I help others, they appreciate me with money. My work has become easier,” he said.
Parents, community leaders, trainers and recipients all expressed gratitude to RURCON and Friends of RURCON for supporting youth empowerment and promoting community recovery.
MTN Nigeria Communications Plc has appointed five new directors to its board as part of efforts to strengthen its operations and support the company’s growth and strategic direction.
The appointees include former Etisalat Nigeria executives, Ibrahim Dikko and Boye Olusanya, who were appointed as independent non-executive directors to the board of the telecommunication company.
The telco giant also appointed corporate governance expert Fabian Ajogwu, Imoni Akpofure and Lwazi Bam as non-executive directors.
The appointments, which take effect from 1 December were disclosed in a regulatory filing signed by the company’s secretary, Uto Ukpanah, on Tuesday.
MTN Nigeria said the new directors were expected to bring their experience and expertise to strengthen the telco giant’s operations.
“The new Directors are expected to bring their wealth of experience and expertise to enhance Board operations and contribute to the Company’s growth and future direction,” MTN Nigeria said.
Profiles
Mr Dikko brings more than three decades of experience spanning banking, telecommunications, information and communications technology, and regulatory advisory.
He served as chairman of First Securities Discount House Limited from 2002 to 2012 and was vice president of regulatory and corporate affairs at EMTS Limited, which operated as Etisalat Nigeria, from 2007 to 2017.
He holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Buckingham and a Master of Laws degree from Queen Mary and Westfield College, and University of London.
Mr Dikko is a Fellow of the Society of Corporate Governance Nigeria and a Member of the Institute of Directors, Nigeria.
Boye Olusanya
Mr Olusanya, who currently leads FMN Holdings Limited, has more than 25 years of executive leadership experience across the fast-moving consumer goods, agriculture, telecommunications, technology, energy, infrastructure and financial services sectors.
He has led the strategic transformation of FMN Holdings into a vertically integrated, consumer-focused food and agro-industrial business.
MTN Nigeria said Mr Olusanya’s experience includes enterprise transformation, business restructuring, strategic acquisitions, operational turnaround and regional expansion.
Fabian Ajogwu
Mr Ajogwu is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and professor of corporate governance at Lagos Business School. He is also the senior partner at KENNA LP and has practised law for 35 years.
He assisted the Securities and Exchange Commission in drafting Nigeria’s first Code of Corporate Governance and served on the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria committee that worked on the National Code of Corporate Governance 2018.
Mr Ajogwu is also the founder of the Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria and has authored several books on corporate governance.
He holds a PhD in Law from the University of Aberdeen, an MBA from IESE Business School in Barcelona and law degrees from the University of Nigeria and the University of Lagos.
Imoni Akpofure
Ms Akpofure brings nearly three decades of experience in finance, infrastructure and sustainability, particularly across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Her career includes senior roles at the International Finance Corporation, CDC Group, now known as British International Investment, and KINA Advisory.
She currently serves on the boards of Africa50 and the Development Bank of Nigeria, where she brings experience in infrastructure investment, sustainable growth and corporate governance.
Lwazi Bam
Mr Bam joined MTN Group as group chief risk officer in June. Before joining the telecommunications group, he served as chief executive officer of Deloitte Africa and Deloitte Southern Africa from 2012 to 2022.
READ ALSO: Access Holdings’ nine-month profit jumps 6% to N474.2 billion
During his nearly three decades at Deloitte, he also served on the firm’s Global Executive Committee and advised organisations on mergers and acquisitions, strategy, governance and risk oversight.
Between 2022 and 2026, he served as a non-executive director on the boards of Standard Bank Group and Valterra Platinum. He currently serves on the boards of Woolworths Holdings Limited and ZEDA Limited.
Mr Bam is a chartered accountant in South Africa and completed the Advanced Management Programme at Harvard Business School.
MTN Nigeria, one of Africa’s largest providers of communications services, connects over 94 million people in communities across the country.
Launched in 2001, the telco operates in 19 markets in Africa and the Middle East, serving over 300 million people.
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