Nume Ekeghe
Sterling One Foundation has partnered with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to host financial institutions for a discourse session on the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP).
The event, which had over 15 different organisations in attendance focused on ways each of the participating organizations could be a part of this youth empowerment partnership initiative between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The Federal Government of Nigeria had recently launched the Nigeria Jubilee Fellowship Programme which aims to place 20,000 young Nigerian graduates annually into paid one-year opportunities within private and public sector organizations across the country.
Citing the critical need for diverse support and resource mobilization, beyond traditional public finance and international aid, to achieve Sustainable Development Goals and address one of the country’s biggest challenges, youth unemployment, the project partners designed the program to be a career launchpad for young Nigerians to hone their skills.
The CEO of the Sterling One Foundation, Mrs. Olapeju Ibekwe in a statement said that it was important to convene the meeting as the initiative being introduced is a win-win opportunity for everyone and a chance to create a lasting impact. She thanked the different company representatives for joining and urged them to buy into the initiative.
Speaking to the representatives, UNDP’s Senior Advisor, Dr. William Tsuma highlighted the key benefits of the program to each of the organizations and the different efforts that have been made to ensure it is a rewarding venture.
“The graduates we have selected for the program were tested and picked from a very large pool, and have undergone additional training with our partners, so they hold lots of promise,” he said.
Reacting to his presentation, most of the financial institutions represented showed willingness to partner as host organizations, posing various questions to help them understand how the diverse pool of fellows was selected and what skills they can expect them to have upon hiring them.
They also thanked the organizers for such a timely intervention given the talent crisis sweeping the country and the lengthy process of finding good candidates for openings.
