Kasim Sumaina and Udora Orizu in Abuja
An Abuja based non-governmental organisation (NGO), AFRIGROWTH foundation, recently organised a mentorship programme as part of its efforts to build capacity of youths propel them towards development.
AFRIGROWTH, while also officially launching its mini-series mentorship programme, stressed that youths are intelligent, resourceful and much more useful to the society if mentored.
Speaking shortly with newsmen at the launch in Abuja, president of the organisation, Mrs. Dayo Keshi, revealed that the programme was targeted at bringing together 30 youths in a smaller group and create opportunity for them to express themselves in close interaction with mentors.
Keshi described mentoring as an innovative tool and the biggest instrument to impact on individuals positively.
She explained further that, “Mentorship is replicating yourself in young ones bringing that person into your space to provide the guidance required for them to launch out into the society helping them nurture talent and skills to make the useful in the society.”
According to her, “The mini youth mentoring series came as a result of the youth summit held last year which revealed that quite a lot of young people don’t know their role in national development or even self-development.”
Also speaking, the resource person at the event, Mr. Anthony Nwabuebo, stressed that a major reason for the seminar was for young people and others in the society to understand the need to be passion-driven.
According to him, to be passionate about one’s endeavour was a will power for success.
He noted that having drive and strong motives determines how much an individual can achieve.
“Passion sustains you to achieve what you can’t do, it drives talent beyond ignorance that blinds an individual. So, programmes like this throw light on what passion is about to help people to put in perspective what they can achieve, it grants willpower to do what they have to do to succeed.”
Nwabuebo, further said passion comes from inside a person to influence his or her environment. Adding that, it goes beyond poor economy and barriers as passion drives achievement in any given area.
Participants at the event, lauded the initiative of the organisation, describing it as a step in the right direction. Noting that youths are talented but lack the drive to achieving desired goals.
A participant, Oyewole Peace, who works with Edusoft , an IT company, revealed that she benefitted immensely from the programme.
