YOUTHVILLE TRUST
ISSUE #81
...young at heart
Friday, riday, June 3, 2016
Some youth are meant to create jobs for others – Designer, Yusuf Mobile classrooms put vulnerable children back in school By Judd-Leonard Okafor @judd_leonard
T
he charity outfit Victims of Violence (VoV), has unveiled its newest solution to ensure hundreds of thousands of children displaced by violence return to school—in readymade, mobile classrooms. Each 30- or 40-pupil classroom and furniture come prefabricated, easily dismantled and transported in the back of a pickup and reassembled anywhere it is needed. Suleiman Gumi, an engineer chairing Victims of Violence, said it is about “addressing grey areas in deploying schools to vulnerable people who don’t have access to conventional education. You can easily deploy this anywhere, and school is readily available.” Under the Alternative Schooling Intervention Programme, which VoV funds, special arrangements help source for writing materials and textbooks, including having students
restore used books and donate them for use on camps for displaced people. “And their teachers are with them, moving from point A to B. Students don’t have to walk too far because you are bringing the school close to them, and you don’t have to pay too much, because you can pay three, four, five teachers and they will be happy to do the job instead of moving from shed to shed waiting for the next meal,” said Gumi, at the unveiling in Abuja. The United Nations Children’s Fund estimates that hundreds of thousands of children have lost opportunities for education due to the insurgency and attacks in the north east. Many have been pushed into resuming school in
Soap-making: Honesty, hard work keep me afloat, young employer says 24 >>
plywood classrooms on camps for displaced people in areas far away from their home towns. The mobile classroom has already
been used in a Bwari community as classrooms for vulnerable children, and its cost varies depending on materials used in prefabrication.
REFLECTIONS
YOUTHVILLE
Friday, June 3, 2016 Page 24
Some youth are meant to create jobs for others – Designer, Yusuf 26-year-old Yusuf Abubakar is a self-made fashion designer and a driving force behind the first Abuja Fashion Week held last year. He recently partnered with the Bank of Industry (BoI) to expand his business platform to accommodate more youth. In this interview, Yusuf gives candid accounts of the challenges faced by youngsters. He also highlights the new opportunities he will create for youth through the partnership. Text by Fatima Joji
H
ow did you get the partnership with the BoI? I reached out to a lady and months later she called back after reviewing what I had achieved overtime. She encouraged and appreciated the art she saw and asked when I would want to see the CEO of the Bank of Industry (BOI). I eventually met with Mr Waheed A. Olagunju, the acting managing director and chief executive officer. He asked me my intentions and reassured me that they are here to help youth like me. Why is this so significant to you? This is a very important development for me because I am probably the only guy who, without funding and endorsement- has been doing
business right from the UK. I have worked with British TV personalities who have been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Network, and styled for the likes of Newcastle footballer Cheick Tioté. Brands like mine projecting Nigeria should be the brands Nigerians are proud to own. However, we need support with things such as funding and machines because of the harsh conditions in this country. What are the challenges youth face in building a successful career? The Nigerian environment is very harsh and light is one big issue. You can’t come and say, “Promote made in Nigeria,” when you can’t give easy access to the right machines to produce good enough brands that are proudly made in Nigeria. We should resolve the electricity issues before
we can expect people to go about successful production in this country. Reduce the import tax of machines that we can’t produce here so we can easily access them to start producing our products on such machines. Youth have been told to create jobs, not to search for them. Do you share the same belief? I support this. Nigerian youth are smart. I would also like to see more female entrepreneurs doing something rather than depending on some guys. Whoever wants to depend on the government, well that’s their decision. However, not all of us are cut out for the average 9-5 jobs. Some of us would like the chance to create that form of employment for others. It is an opportunity we need to fight for. Could you highlight the
opportunities available through the BoI initiatives? There’s a lot youth can gain from BoI initiatives, from technology funding, IT, agriculture and fashion. Just have the right business plan and execution. I promise you, go look for them and they’ll listen to you. They have offices in every state of the federation so take a leap and break a leg. Just check out your branch. You never know. What is your long-term goal with the Bank of Industry? I hope to see many skilled youth around Nigeria who are not so dependent on the government become successful employers of labour. I desire to ensure that the rate at which drugs are being abused in the north fades off.
Bizwiz Soap-making: Honesty, hard work Shiny teeth: The crux about oral hygiene keep me afloat, young employer says eeth cleaning is the white/yellow bad breath. Tongue Text by Latifat Opoola @LatifatOpoola
E
veryone wants a healthy skin and switching to daily use of handmade soap is the best place to start, said Hajo Isa, who makes soap from raw Shea butter and cocoa butter and has employed about 20 hands already. Her business ‘Aitadi Nigeria Limited’ was launched in 2010 out of her zeal to begin a healthy lifestyle, with raw natural products for her hair and skin. “That prompted me to learn the procedures through books and researches and also the internet,” she said. Hajo who started with N30,000 then emphasized that producing of Shea and cocoa butters are labour intensive. Her business, which she says employs 20 staff, is a successful one although she notes that due to the current economic challenges the country is going through,
the business slowed down in the first quarter of the year. Hajo said her challenges are poor electricity supply and transportation hike. However with experimentation and creativity, the business is growing, she noted. She said: “I employ a lot of creativity in the design of each batch of handmade soap, and my cocoa butter, Shea butter products are chemical free and largely handmade using traditional methods of production, to guard quality control.” The young entrepreneur, who targets everyone said she attracts customers by keeping her products news, and fresh adding that she considered “hard work, passion to learn and honesty towards producing authentic products” as her key to success. She urged job-seeking youth to follow their passion, and ensure they learn from their mistakes.
T
removal of dental plaque and tarter from teeth to prevent cavities, gingivitis and gum disease. Severe gum disease causes at least one-third of adult tooth loss. Tooth decay is the most common global disease affecting every family. Over 80% of cavities occur inside pits and tissues on chewing surfaces where brushing cannot reach. If not treated, bones around the teeth can be destroyed and teeth may become loose or have to be removed. Good oral hygiene is essential for preventing tarter build up. This is done by carefully brushing with toothbrush and the use of dental floss to prevent accumulation of plaque on the teeth. For effective and hygienic teeth, you should clean the tongue always. This helps to remove the
cleaning also removes some of the bacteria species which generate tooth decay and gum problems. More so, by massaging gums with tooth-brush bristle daily before going to bed helps to prevent receding gums, gum disease, and cavities between teeth. To also nurture your teeth, you may wish to watch what you eat. Go for food that helps muscles and bones also help teeth and gum such as bread and cereals that are rich in vitamin B. Fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C, both of which contribute to healthy gum tissue. Lean meat, fish and poultry provide magnesium and zinc for teeth. Report from Hauwa Mohammed, 400 Level Department of Mass Communication, Bayero University, Kano.
Sometimes it’s the smallest decisions that can change your life forever - Keri Russell